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Mobile Urgent Care Reaches An Under-Served Population

By Dominique Martin


New legislation has provided a way for many people without health insurance to obtain affordable coverage, but there is still a sizable population falling between the cracks. These individuals often live under severe economic hardship, and a standard doctor appointment may not a be realistic option. Mobile urgent care is designed to bring high-quality medical facilities and personnel to the neighborhoods and people that need them the most.

Brick-and-mortar urgent treatment centers have traditionally been a recommended alternative for patients seeking a less-costly option to visiting a standard emergency or trauma center located in a hospital. Without insurance, the cost of emergency treatment skyrockets, wait times routinely last multiple hours, and there is little follow-up. Urgent need centers routinely treat common ailments and injuries, have access to lab tests and x-rays, give physicals, and more.

A moving unit provides a better and more cost-effective way to reach people who choose to forgo standard treatment for economic reasons, and is often housed in a recreational vehicle remodeled to make way for modern medical center equipment. Units may be staffed by nurse practitioners under the guidance of doctors, with additional staff available when size and budgets allow.

Although the overall economic situation has improved somewhat, many people have begun to pay the price for ignoring or neglecting health concerns over the years. The current wave of diabetes has created a category of older people who may be somewhat aware they are at risk, but have not yet developed neuropathy or vision problems. A visiting doctor provides necessary education for living with this condition, including regular monitoring.

Most centers exercise few limitations on who may or may not receive care. From schoolchildren who need vaccinations or help with common problems such as ear infections, to aging citizens with dwindling resources, there are generally no restrictions regarding qualifications for help. Areas coping with an influx of immigrants often set aside political scapegoating in order to build a better health foundation at all levels.

In addition to urgent treatment, some units are also designed to help people who have been hospitalized, but receive little follow-up after discharge. Having this resource come to them measurably cuts recovery times, limits the number of post-hospital infections, and supports family members acting as caregivers. Patients living alone often find that these services give them greater peace of mind.

Without traveling units, many patients would receive little personalized medical information. Nurses and doctors not only treat active symptoms, but also can provide the latest information regarding diet and nutrition, give prenatal advice, and address the need to keep childhood immunizations current. They may provide STD and safer sex information for younger people, and some even feature dental services.

A single modified vehicle services more than four thousand patients in a year, and demand shows few signs of diminishing. Educational material and health screening for people not actively ill helps people avoid future problems while holding down basic costs. Whether people are coping daily with the problems of aging and poverty, or have had trouble affording standard insurance, bringing care to the patients who need it most helps eliminate that gap.




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