For health care providers working with people facing homelessness and unstable living conditions, access to reliable medical information can be as important as the treatment itself. In Atlanta, a nonprofit organization is turning to digital technology to address this challenge and make community-based care easier to coordinate.

Recovery Consultants of Atlanta is using technology developed by eClinicalWorks to support its work across shelters, mobile clinics and other community settings. The organization’s staff may see as many as 40 patients at a homeless shelter on a busy day, handling medical histories, consent forms and clinical documentation outside conventional health care facilities.

Angel Jenkins, a practice manager who has worked with the organization for more than a decade, described the nonprofit as a relatively small operation with a significant community impact. She discussed its approach with Newsweek during eClinicalWorks’ National Conference in Nashville on October 23.

Expanding care beyond traditional clinics

Founded in 1999 as a peer-led recovery support organization, Recovery Consultants of Atlanta has gradually expanded its services. Its work now includes primary care, behavioral health, medication-assisted treatment and infectious disease services.

The organization operates as both a federally qualified health center and a certified community behavioral health clinic. It also uses three mobile medical units to reach people who may struggle to access conventional facilities, including individuals living in homeless shelters and people transitioning out of incarceration.

This model creates logistical challenges for medical teams. Patients may receive services in different locations, making it harder to maintain a complete picture of their medical histories and previous treatments.

Connecting medical records across providers

One of the tools the organization finds particularly useful is Prisma, an eClinicalWorks platform that enables health care providers to access medical records held by outside organizations.

According to Jenkins, this capability can help address gaps in patient information, especially when individuals are experiencing homelessness or moving frequently between health care settings.

Some patients may remember taking several medications but be unable to identify their names or dosages. Access to records from other providers can help clinicians review medication histories and previous procedures, giving them more information when making treatment decisions.

The technology is therefore being used to support continuity of care, rather than simply reduce paperwork. Better access to existing medical information can help providers coordinate services across different locations and respond more effectively to patients’ needs.

Technology as support for community health care

The Atlanta nonprofit’s experience highlights how digital tools can assist organizations that deliver care beyond traditional clinical environments. Mobile services and community outreach can bring medical support closer to people who face barriers to accessing health facilities, while connected records can help staff manage information across those settings.

The available account focuses on the organization’s use of eClinicalWorks technology, particularly its Prisma records-access platform. It does not provide specific measurements of improved health outcomes or quantify how much time the technology saves.

Still, the approach illustrates a practical role for health technology: helping care teams obtain a more complete understanding of patients whose circumstances can make consistent medical follow-up difficult.