BOSTON -- At her private practice in Wellesley, she is known as Dr. Means. Among the homeless women to whom she donates more than half her practice, she is Dr. Roseanna.

Video

Homeless Face Unique Difficulties DR. ROSEANNA MEANS Women Of Means Email Women Of Means HOMELESS NUMBERS Boston counted 6,210 homeless people in the city on Dec. 9, 2002, an increase of 3.5 percent over the previous year. The number of homeless families grew by 8.3 percent. The average age of a homeless person in Massachusetts is 8 years old. Women are the fastest growing group of homeless people in the city. HOMELESS RESOURCES Friends Of Boston's Homeless Boston Homeless Action For Boston Community Development Women's Lunch Place Boston Public Health Commission Homeless Services

NewsCenter 5's Amalia Barreda reported that Dr. Roseanna Means believes her Hippocratic oath is more than a 9-to-5 job, so she established a program called Women of Means, which is committed to helping the poorest patients.

"I can't imagine turning my back on people who are so desperately in need of good medical care and access at a time when we are at our absolute worst in our society," Means said.

Means sets up office in a room at the Women's Lunch Place every Tuesday morning. In the basement of a Boston church, the women's homeless shelter is a long way from her private practice or the Harvard Medical School, where she is on the faculty.

Her patients are homeless and poor women who have no money and no health insurance.

"There are lots of services out there for people who are poor. There are public hospitals. Boston Medical Center does a great job. There are lots of clinics," Means said. "But unfortunately, when you are compromised by poverty, hypothermia, hunger, fear, being chased by a batterer -- it's not always easy to access those services."

So Means brings the services to them. She has signed up 15 doctors who volunteer their services at nine shelters throughout the city. Means herself donates 60 percent of her practice to treating homeless women.

"I'm not making $1 million. I'm not driving a Lexus," Means said. "I do have a nice home."

She also has success stories. There is Amanda, a one-time executive secretary who lived on the streets for five years after her husband died. Amanda was in the grip of depression and alcoholism when she crossed paths with Means.

"She helped save my life is what she did," Amanda said. "Because I'll tell you something, I don't understand how being in the situations I was living in the streets why I'm not dead today."

Means said she hopes her example encourages other doctors to help those in need.