MOBILE UNIT

Transportation is one of the biggest barriers local non-profits have been struggling with in recent years.  St. Martin’s Healthcare recognized that 80% of cancellations or missed appointments within the past two years correlated to the lack of access to reliable transportation or lack of finances to maintain the vehicle.  Appointment times are scheduled by patients with the intention of a time that is suitable for the patient.  Missed appointments cause a lapse in care or patients running out of prescribed medications, while also taking the availability away from someone else in need of healthcare services. 

With increasing patient visits, the clinic also noticed that the need for healthcare services were apparent in LaGrange and Steuben counties as well. With these counties being further away from the clinic, a need for transportation aid increased immensely.   Research revealed that 47% of patients who sought care at St. Martin’s Healthcare were driving 26-94 miles round trip for care. There is a growing importance for a clinic to be within the communities served, but multiple brick and mortar sites would not be a cost effective solution.  Thus the idea of a Mobile Health Clinic was born.  The mobile clinic would provide a way to increase the access to healthcare for more individuals and families who are uninsured or under-insured.

The conversion of a 37 foot RV unit, by Mission Mobile Medical in Greensboro NC, is projected to be completed and delivered by April, 2023. The renovated unit will include two exam rooms (one on each end) with storage and space for practitioners to provide care. Satellite capabilities are planned in order to avoid interruption and promote efficiency while accessing electronic health records. Chair units will be utilized that will double as an exam table or dental chair.  The center of the unit will house refrigeration for medications, lab testing, a bathroom, more storage for supplies, and a reception area for patient intake and waiting.

Initial services planned will be similar to that of the stationary clinic: lab testing, access to electronic health records, mental health integration, specialized referrals, and medication assistance. Provisions during construction will ready the unit for the addition of dental services in the future.