About

Alexis M Coulourides Kogan, PhD, MS, is an assistant professor of Family Medicine and Geriatrics at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California (USC). She earned a BS from Tulane University in exercise and sports sciences, and a MS and Ph.D. in gerontology from the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. Dr. Coulourides Kogan is a mixed-methods health systems researcher whose work focuses on the translation and measurement of person-centered models of care for older adults and those with serious illness. She is the recipient of a K99/R00 award from the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health.

Research topics

• Physical therapy
• Psychology
• Family medicine
• Medicine
• Nursing

Selected publications

• Response to, “Unsheltered Homeless and Team Member Aging Perspectives”

  Journal of General Internal Medicine · 2026-02-26

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Access to Basic Needs and Healthcare by People Experiencing Unsheltered Homelessness

  Journal of Primary Care & Community Health · 2025-07-01 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  OBJECTIVE: To investigate the experience of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness (PEUH) in meeting their basic needs for food, drinking water, toilet, hygiene, and healthcare in Los Angeles County. METHODS: Cross-sectional, in-person health assessment survey (modified HOUSED BEDS instrument) from 2022 to 2023 among PEUH age 18+ years and initiating care with street medicine (N = 665). RESULTS: = 8.3 meals per week ±5.7). Geographical area was associated with statistically significant differences in participant demographic characteristics, access to, and source type of basic resources. CONCLUSIONS: Key gaps in access to basic resources for survival for PEUH continue to exist in an urban county where state and local government entities have prioritized addressing homelessness by heavily investing in housing solutions. POLICY IMPLICATIONS: Pervasive unmet needs for basic resources among PEUH threatens wellbeing and holds important implications for public health, healthcare providers, and payers. Geographical differences in access to basic resources for PEUH suggests a need for heterogeneous services, resources, solutions, and policies to better support PEUH.

  PublisherDOI

• Feasibility and predictive utility of implementing a modified practical geriatric assessment for older adults with gastrointestinal cancer

  Journal of Geriatric Oncology · 2025-11-01

  article
  PublisherDOI

• 120 Burn Care in the Street: The Current Landscape of Burn Care in Street Medicine

  Journal of Burn Care & Research · 2025-03-01

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Introduction People experiencing homelessness are at increased risk for serious burn injuries and face additional barriers to medical care. Street medicine (SM) programs, which provide direct medical care to unhoused people in shelters or the street, may be well positioned to bridge this gap in burn care. However, burn management is not featured in the SM literature, and SM clinician experience with burn wound management is not known. Methods We surveyed SM team members to learn about their experiences with providing burn care in the street or shelter settings. Descriptive statistics were used to report findings from this cross-sectional survey. Results 60 survey respondents from 17 US states and two non-US countries included 18 physicians, 15 nurse practitioners or physician assistants, 15 registered nurses, 6 medical students, and 6 other client-facing team members. There was regional variability in frequency encountering burns in the street setting, and in comfort assessing and treating burns (Table 1). Burn wound management practices were also variable, though most clinicians treated burns with daily non-adherent dressings, and non-daily silver-based dressings were rare (Table 2). SM clinicians estimated prescribing oral antibiotics to a median 10% (IQR 0-38%) of burns survivors in the street. The most often reported barriers to burn care were prior negative experiences with emergency departments and transportation to burn centers. Conclusions People experiencing homelessness are experiencing barriers in access to burn care. Although SM teams are already helping to deliver burn care to this population, experience and comfort with delivering burn care was variable. Applicability of Research to Practice Formal partnerships between burn centers and SM teams through both burn care management education and integration of SM teams during the discharge process could help empower SM teams bridge the gap in burn care for people experiencing homelessness. Funding for the Study N/A

  PublisherDOI

• 6 Organizational interventions to address burnout, moral injury, and grief in the homeless workforce

  2025-12-01

  articleOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Screening for Elder Mistreatment Risk in Caregivers: Clinician Perspectives on Barriers, Feasibility, & Response

  Innovation in Aging · 2025-12-01 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Abstract Elder mistreatment (EM) risk screening in primary care presents challenges, particularly when aimed at assessing caregivers of people living with dementia. This secondary qualitative analysis examines how primary care clinicians conceptualize elder mistreatment, the feasibility of screening caregivers, and the perceived barriers and facilitators to screening implementation. Data were drawn from five focus groups (N = 38) conducted with multidisciplinary personnel at general and geriatric primary care clinics. Using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis, we analyzed focus group discussions to explore attitudes toward elder mistreatment screening among caregivers of patients with dementia, its practicality in primary care workflows, and related concerns. Participants viewed EM screening as feasible under certain conditions but raised concerns about time constraints, difficulty in dementia caregiver identification, and cultural and linguistic barriers. Some worried that screening might feel accusatory rather than supportive, emphasizing the need for careful framing. Respondents struggled with defining who qualifies as a caregiver, particularly when caregivers were not included in medical records or were absent during visits. While many saw screening as a potential opportunity to assess caregiver needs and connect them with resources, they noted that without clear implementation strategies and resources, feasibility remained uncertain. Effective implementation of dementia caregiver-focused EM risk screening requires clinician and site buy-in, cultural responsiveness, and framing that reassures rather than alienates caregivers. Findings highlight the importance of embedding screening within broader caregiver support efforts and ensuring clinicians feel equipped to navigate sensitive conversations.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• “I Don’t Want to Die on the Street”: Patient and Practitioner Perspectives on Street-Based Care for Older Adults Experiencing Unsheltered Homelessness

  Journal of General Internal Medicine · 2025-05-28 · 3 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  BACKGROUND: Unsheltered older adults experiencing homelessness constitute the fastest-growing segment of the US unhoused population. Research shows that older unsheltered adults have more chronic health conditions and experience accelerated aging. Little is known about the unique considerations in providing care and support for this population. OBJECTIVE: To explore the experiences of aging and managing serious illness from people experiencing unsheltered homelessness and from the street medicine team members who care for them. DESIGN: Qualitative, semi-structured in-depth individual interviews. PARTICIPANTS: Street medicine team members and patients receiving street medicine in Los Angeles. APPROACH: Interviews were guided by a semi-structured interview guide developed by the team, audio-recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Field notes supplemented transcripts. Transcripts and field notes were analyzed by two independent coders following a thematic analysis approach rooted in grounded theory. KEY RESULTS: Eight street medicine team members with varying experience caring for patients experiencing homelessness (1-16 years) and from multidisciplinary backgrounds were interviewed. Team members were, on average, 39 years old (SD 7.4 years), 63% female, and 50% white. Eight patients were interviewed and identified as male (63%), having 3 + chronic health conditions (100%), and aged on average 56 years (range 50-71; SD 4.7 years). Thematic analysis of the interviews revealed two major themes on challenges and considerations for the following: (1) Caring for older adults experiencing unsheltered homelessness (subthemes: Medical, Interpersonal, Environmental, and Systemic), and (2) Shelter, long-term care, and end-of-life planning among older adults experiencing unsheltered homelessness (subthemes: Permanent shelter, Rehabilitative and institutional care, and End-of-life care planning). CONCLUSIONS: Team member and patient perspectives offered insight into significant challenges faced when trying to apply conventional healthcare practices to the unique circumstances of the unsheltered setting. Findings suggest actionable strategies with implications for both policy and practice to better meet the needs of unsheltered homeless older adults.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• SIOG2024-4-P-136 Designing and implementing virtual interdisciplinary geriatric oncology review (VIGOR) rounds: a novel model for care coordination

  Journal of Geriatric Oncology · 2024-10-01

  article
  PublisherDOI

• OLDER ADULTS EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS IN LARGE URBAN CITY LACK BASIC RESOURCES

  Innovation in Aging · 2024-12-01

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Abstract Older adults constitute the fastest-growing segment of the homeless population in the US. Previous research has found older homeless adults to have more chronic conditions, premature mortality, greater odds of physical disability, and experience accelerated aging compared to housed populations. To inform programs to better serve this population, improved understanding of how they meet their basic needs is warranted. The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of unsheltered homeless older adults with meeting their basic needs for food, drinking water, toilet, hygiene, and healthcare in Los Angeles County. From 2021-2023 (24-months), we conducted a cross-sectional survey using the HOUSED BEDS assessment with people experiencing unsheltered homelessness and initiating care with Street Medicine (N=637). Quantitative data were analyzed to compare adults (18-49 yrs) and older adults (50+ years). Findings show that 40.3% of those sampled were older adults. Most older adults experiencing unsheltered homelessness identified as male (70%), Hispanic/Latino (46.6%), or Black/African American (25.6%). The majority of older adults had health insurance (79%) yet few (22%) had a primary care provider. Older adults lacked 24-hr bathroom access (22.3%), were forced to practice open defecation (82%), and relied on purchased food (50%) and drinking water (40.6%). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs explains that time and energy spent meeting basic needs of survival (including food, hydration, and sanitation) means time and energy not spent elsewhere, such as seeking healthcare. Results of this study suggest a need for scaling Street Medicine which provides basic needs and comprehensive, accessible primary care.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Perspectives on Aging and Illness by Homeless Adults Receiving Street Medicine

  Journal of Pain and Symptom Management · 2024-04-18

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• Investigating the Impact of Person-Centered Home-Based Palliative Care on Providers

  NIH · $192k · 2016–2018

• Investigating the Impact of Person-Centered Home-Based Palliative Care on Providers

  NIH · $286k · 2018–2020

Frequent coauthors

• Bonnie Olsen

  University of Southern California

  43 shared

• Julia Bandini

  RAND Corporation

  42 shared

• Sangeeta C. Ahluwalia

  RAND Corporation

  42 shared

• Rebecca L. Sudore

  38 shared

• David B. Bekelman

  38 shared

• Jessica Phillips

  Women's and Children's Health Network

  37 shared

• Susan Enguídanos

  28 shared

• Corinne T. Feldman

  University of Southern California

  10 shared

Education

• PhD, Gerontology

  University of Southern California

  2014

• MSG, Gerontolgoy

  University of Southern California

  2010

• BS

  Tulane University

  2006

Awards & honors

• K99/R00 award from the National Institute on Aging of the Na…