Robert Fisher, M.D. William Reincken, BS Ronald E. LaPorte, Ph.D. Jim Peake, M.D. Richard Carmona, M.D. Jay Sanders, M.D. Ronald Poropatich, M.D. Francois Sauer, M.D. Faina Linkov, Ph.D + 1,600 members of VA, others interested in mVET

Richard Carmona, M.D. Former US Surgeon General Jim Peake, M.D. Former Surgeon General Army Former President of Project Hope Former Director VA

Supercourse 50,000 member Network, 174 countries 5140 PowerPoint lectures on Global health and prevention 77 lectures from Nobel Prize winners, 300 from IOM/NAS Produced a 10 fold increase in Global health training H1N1 lecture taught 50 million Just in time lectures 31 different languages, 400 lectures in Russian, 300 in Chinese, etc. Mobile Global Health

mVET Definition: The application of Mobile Technology to reduce mortality in Homeless Vets

Frequency of Veterans in US = 9% Frequency of Veterans in Homeless = 20%

Life Expectancy United States

Soldiers died in Iraq and Afghanistan 25,000 Homeless vets died on the streets of NY, Washington, LA, etc.

Preventable causes of death Injuries Drug overdose CHD Exposure Murder/Suicide

mVET Mission To Reduce homeless VA mortality by 50%

Differences in approaches VA = Finding shelter for homeless vet mVET= Reducing mortality in half Find shelter is not the same as reducing mortality

Universal Mobile Access for Home Vets Give every homeless vet a cell phone

Home

mVET Provide free cell phone to all homeless vets Use existing call centers from the VA and EMS as life lines Develop life line apps 911 for emergencies and location

Problem in next 5 years 1 million returning from Iraq and Afghanistan 50,000 becoming homeless Tripling number of women and their children homeless Major increase in Native Americans on the streets

Women Veterans and their children In 5 years 3 times more women Vets and children on street Average age of death = 41, 40 years less then than other women American Estimated 1.5 million homeless children, not known how many are children of Veterans 20% chance of being raped each year On streets primarily because of abusive relations

What if we do not try to stop the premature mortality Surge to ~180,000 homeless vets in 5 years 25,000 homeless vets will die, with women especially vulnerable Probably ½ of these death can be prevented

180,000 Homeless Vets by Minutes per Month

Steps 1.Build mVET network 2.Obtain 180,000 telephone 3.Establish VA distribution system 4.Develop Point of Contact 5.Coordinate, Monitor Mortality and Evaluate

Cost to VA 1.Build mVET network 1,500 Members cost to VA = $ Obtain 180,000 telephone $50 x 180,000 = $9,000,000, cost to VA = $ Establish VA distribution system through exisiting homeless coordinators cost to VA = $0.00? 4.Develop Point of Contact with existing call centers cost to VA = $0.00 (?) 5.Coordinate, Monitor Mortality and Evaluate, cost to VA = $1,000,000/yr

180,000 Homeless Vets in 5 year 25,000 deaths in 5 years 12,500 preventable deaths Additional cost to VA, $5,000,000 in 5 years Cost to VA per life saved = $500