Dr. Jim Withers has traveled to cities across the world, but on his trips, he focuses on areas most people avoid: under bridges where homeless people live.

“I don’t feel like I’ve visited a place unless I’ve poked under their bridges,” he said. 

Withers has devoted his life to bringing medical care to people living on the streets. This week, he brought his skills and passion to Bowling Green. 

At a presentation Wednesday at The Medical Center-WKU Health Sciences Complex, Withers shared how his efforts began in 1992, when he dressed like a homeless person and brought his medical bag to the streets of Pittsburgh, where he is an assistant clinical professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

“The street has its own rules, and if you respect them, miraculous things can happen,” he said.

For more than 20 years, Withers has remained dedicated to providing medical care to the homeless who fall through the cracks of the traditional health care system. His passion led him to co-found the International Street Medicine Institute in 2009. 

“I wanted doctors in particular to get a clue what it was like for people outside the system,” he said. 

The institute brings together health professionals from around the world who are dedicated to bringing medical care to the homeless in their communities.

“It’s kind of become a movement,” Withers said.

HOTEL INC is part of that movement. The Bowling Green nonprofit has had a street medicine team for more than two years and became a member of the institute this summer.

“We really saw a need for expansion this year, thanks to a grant from WellCare of Kentucky,” said Rhondell Miller, executive director of HOTEL INC. “With that grant, we were able to dream and dream big.”

The grant allowed HOTEL INC to hold a health fair in September and expand its medical outreach to the homeless, which includes checking blood pressure, providing prescription assistance, making doctor referrals and signing clients up for health insurance through the expanded Medicaid program, Miller said.

Withers spent two days in Bowling Green this week with HOTEL INC staff and volunteers. He accompanied them Tuesday during their homeless outreach, when they visited several spots in town where homeless people are known to stay and provided food and medical assistance to several dozen clients.

“I get a huge spiritual boost from others who care about others like I do,” Withers said. 

It was neat for him to see HOTEL INC’s street medicine team in action as they made their rounds in Bowling Green on Tuesday night, because he can tell the group is making an impact in the community, he said.

“I really am very impressed with the professionalism and the viability of the program here,” he said. 

Ashleigh Stiles, a nurse at The Medical Center and coordinator of HOTEL INC’s street medicine team, said Withers provided great feedback.

“Having him here has been able to answer some questions and integrate those into the community,” she said. “I feel like his visit has been instrumental in … educating our community.”

— Follow reporter Laurel Wilson on Twitter at twitter.com/FaithinBG or visit bgdailynews.com.