Memorial Mobile Health Center

By Amanda Jepson | Categories: | Comments Off on Memorial Mobile Health Center

Memorial Healthcare System has been a leader in mobile health since 2000. The mobile health program runs both pediatric and adult health vans, all with the goal of increasing access to care and intervention services for community members.

The mobile vans operate 21 days a month and offer free services and social needs screenings to community members, most of whom are under- or uninsured. The pediatric van offers immunizations, behavioral health services, well and sick visits, follow-up visits, and counseling events. The adult van also offers vaccines and sick visits but emphasizes helping patients apply for public assistance benefits, such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, if they are eligible. All vans are equipped with Memorial Healthcare staff, including two medical assistants, a nurse practitioner, and occasional residents.

To ensure the program meets patients’ needs, Memorial partners with many community organizations, including early learning services, homeless services, migrant services, food pantries, local universities, and local government to help identify locations to set up the clinics.

Memorial’s Mobile Health Center has built a trustful relationship with the community through its efforts. By caring for patients in the community, the vans also have reduced the burden on local emergency departments. The pediatric mobile van sees about 220 patients per month, and the adult mobile van sees about 490 patients per month.