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.

Locating these services in a large vehicle is a far more cost-effective method of reaching patients who skip treatment because of money issues. Often housed in an RV that has been gutted and fitted with up-to-date medical technology, it may be staffed by nurse practitioners, doctors, and aides. When budgets and physical size allow, other services and staff can be added to the roster.

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.

There are relatively few restrictions regarding patient eligibility. Children are given vaccinations and treated for common problems such as earaches and colds, while elderly people with diminished financial resources are also encouraged to take charge of their own health. Areas experiencing and influx of immigration set aside political polarization in order to help people of all statuses achieve optimal health.

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.

Many patients would receive little or no personalized medical information without these units. Doctors and nurses look beyond immediate physical issues and routinely provide education on nutrition and dietary needs, administer prenatal exams, and help parents make sure their children are vaccinated. Young adults benefit from information regarding safer sex and STD transmission, and some centers provide 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.




About the Author:



0 comments:

Enregistrer un commentaire