Welcome to MED4HOPE

MED4HOPE is in its origin an Austrian initiative that has been successfully recognized and endorsed to by the Austrian Medical Association, which now provides the MED4HOPE curriculum and certification to its members. We hope to serve as a reference for other countries and Medical Associations.

At the heart of our initiative, we created a medical standard, called the Street Medicine Body of Knowledge (SMboK). It is a collaborative work in progress, that draws on long term experience that medical professionals, psychologists and social workers have gained in treating indigent and homeless human beings. We provide a corresponding training curriculum and certification for doctors, medical staff and social workers.

The underlying premise is that Street Medicine is fraught with challenges that many medical professionals are ill prepared for. The initiative intends to ensure that best practices are created and shared, to improve the medical standard of treatment of those in need.

The standard of practice is NOT ONLY intended to improve the treatment of our patients, but to also provide both medical and non-medical staff the necessary framework to effectively treat individuals in need. We want to help to make their lives easier as well.

The SMBoK intended as an Open-Source Standard
In 1959 Volvo invented the revolutionary 3-point safety belt, but instead of patenting it decided to let other car manufacturers replicate their invention so that it would help save millions of lives. We are humbly following Volvo's example. We invite you to use it, share it, and help us develop it.

The SMBoK is intended to become an international standard for street medicine that draws on the real-life experience of medical and mental health professionals in the field. It discusses pragmatically what works and what doesn't. It helps volunteers devise an appropriate course of action in difficult scenarios.

A great part of the SMBoK also focuses on effective communication and psychological skills; how to build trust with patients that due to their difficult circumstances and negative experiences might not be as willing to trust so readily.

MED4HOPE is an initiative that seeks to collaborate with all organizations committed to serving the indigent and homeless community.

All over Europe, and the world, there many organizations dedicated to the low-threshold relief of indigent and homeless people. They rely on the volunteer work of medical doctors, nurses, emergency medical technicians, first responders and social workers. Although there are many potential volunteers, there isn't a professional medical standard to prepare them for their work with the homeless. It is NOT our intention to compete with such organizations, but to support them by providing them a medical standard, a corresponding educational program and certification.

Where possible we will support networking and knowledge sharing, such as innovative solutions on such pressing issues as Covid Relief measures, medical records for the uninsured, or the Ukrainian refugee situation.

Our name MED4HOPE is intentionally selected to be internationally understood and stands for: Medical Aid for Homeless People

MED4HOPE is an independent association dedicated to serving all.

We hope that our initiative has interested and inspired you. If you would like to reach out to us to discuss potential collaboration, we look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you for your interest
Monika Stark