Let’s start off with something grim:
Access to healthcare in rural communities sucks.
Did you know over 61 million Americans live in rural areas? Many of them lack access to basic medical care.
But healthcare access isn’t just distance…
Imagine hospitals closing and doctors leaving town.
These are issues rural communities face every day.
However, there’s good news.
Healthcare delivery doesn’t have to happen inside of a clinic.
Across the country, mobile medical vehicles are helping underserved communities receive care.
In this article, you’ll learn:
- Why Rural Healthcare Access Is So Important
- How Mobile Medical Vehicles Are Bringing Healthcare To Underserved Communities
- What Types Of Care These Vehicles Provide
- Why Mobile Medical Vehicles Are An Effective Solution
Rural Areas Are In Healthcare Crisis
Americans living in rural areas NEED access to healthcare.
But they’re not getting it.
Data from the U.S. Government Accountability Office shows over 100 rural hospitals shut their doors between 2013 and 2020. Rural hospitals account for about 4% of closures nationwide in just seven years.
The outcome?
Residents must travel an additional 20 miles to receive basic medical services. If someone needs specialized care like addiction services? They’ll travel 40 miles.
Here’s the kicker…
As of September 2024, 66% of Main Care Health Professional Shortage Areas are in rural areas. So 2/3 of communities that lack doctors live in rural areas.
Patients in rural areas…
- Are older
- Have more health problems
- Experience higher rates of chronic illness
- Have less access to specialty care
Building clinics in every remote location just isn’t feasible.
Mobile medical vehicles dedicated to rural healthcare are the solution. The benefits of mobile medical vehicles for rural healthcare help provide these hard to reach communities the care they deserve.
How Mobile Medical Vehicles Are Helping Everyone
Mobile medical vehicles are exactly what they sound like.
These self-sufficient clinics on wheels bring healthcare straight to your community.
They aren’t empty vans with medical supplies. Mobile clinics have examination tables, diagnostic tools, and medical staff. It’s your local doctors office…but on wheels.
This matters because:
Think about the largest barrier your patients face when it comes to healthcare. Transportation.
With a mobile medical vehicle, you eliminate that barrier. Literally.
Instead of patients having to come to you… You’ll go to them.
There are over 3,000 mobile clinics currently serving the United States. Collectively, they provide 10 million patient visits per year.
Wow.
The mobile clinic industry is booming to say the least. Currently valued at $5.25 billion, it’s expected to reach nearly $16 billion by 2034.
Obviously, that wouldn’t be the case if mobile healthcare didn’t work.
Services Provided By Mobile Medical Vehicles
Your mobile medical vehicle can do it all.
Different layouts are better suited for different services. You can design your mobile clinic to focus on primary care. Or equip it for dental exams. Mammograms. Mental health services.
But here are the most common services provided by mobile clinics:
- Primary care
- Preventative screenings/vaccinations
- Dental care
- Mental/behavioral health services
- Maternal and infant care
- Chronic disease management
Here’s an interesting stat for you…
Studies found that 41% of patients who utilize mobile clinics are uninsured. 44% are on public insurance. Mobile clinics are serving a population that traditional health centers struggle to reach.
Another reason mobile clinics can be so versatile is because they can adapt to current events.
Many mobile clinics across the country were used to provide COVID-19 testing and vaccines to underserved neighborhoods during the pandemic. That type of adaptability can’t be matched by brick-and-mortar clinics.
Let’s Dive Into Why Mobile Healthcare Works
Mobile clinics work because they remove barriers for your patients.
Allow me to explain…
Mobile clinics erase geographic barriers. Your patient doesn’t have to worry about if they have enough gas money to come see you. You come to them.
They establish trust. Familiar faces keep showing up at the same parking lot. Your patients will grow to trust the providers you bring to their neighborhood. That trust leads to better outcomes.
And best of all, mobile clinics can actually save you money. Research demonstrates mobile clinics provide primary care at a lower cost per patient than any other federally funded health center.
One study conducted on The Family Van, a mobile health care provider in Boston, showed they returned $36 for every dollar spent. Preventing costly ER visits and identifying diseases earlier are two ways they were able to do this.
Mobile Medical Vehicles Are More High-Tech Than You Think
Mobile medical vehicles aren’t primitive.
They’re equipped with advanced diagnostic tools and telehealth capabilities. Your patients can now receive services from specialists hundreds of miles away thanks to telehealth integration.
Let’s take a look at some of the technology you’ll find inside:
- Electronic medical records (EMR) systems
- On-board laboratory testing
- Imaging and disease screening
- Telemedicine technology
- Mobile pharmacy services
Telehealth is huge.
17% of Americans who live in rural areas don’t have broadband internet at home. But who needs internet at home when your healthcare comes to you with it attached?
Allowing your patients to speak with specialists in real-time while receiving on-the-ground care from your medical staff is a gamechanger. Mobile clinics provide the best of both worlds.
Who Funds Mobile Medical Vehicles?
It truly comes from everywhere.
University healthcare systems. Hospitals. Nonprofit community groups. Churches.
Some mobile clinics run on federal funds, while others are philanthropy based.
Here is the breakdown:
- 33% are privately funded (run themselves)
- 29% are hospital-affiliated
- 24% university affiliated
- 52% funded by philanthropy
- 45% federally funded
It’s a mixture of both that allows mobile clinics to flourish.
You also have numerous options if your community wants to start bringing mobile healthcare to your citizens.
How Will Mobile Healthcare Help Rural Areas?
You know the statistics. Now let’s talk about what it all means.
Millions of patient visits each year. Thousands of mobile clinics serving America’s most rural areas.
Mobile medical vehicles are here. They’re providing care to patients who went without for far too long.
Benefits of mobile medical vehicles include:
- Travel time decreases for patients.
- Medical problems are detected earlier.
- Chronic illnesses are better managed.
- Patients receive higher doses of preventative care.
- Entire community’s health improves.
As rural hospitals continue to shutter their doors and physician shortages continue to worsen throughout rural America…
Mobile Healthcare is the answer.
Accessible. Flexible. Proven to work.
Patients that were previously unable to see a doctor can now receive care. And if you throw technology into the mix?
Patients that live in rural areas won’t have to settle for worse care than those who live in urban settings.
They’ll have care that comes to them.
Wrapping This Up
The way we deliver healthcare is changing.
Mobile medical vehicles are here to stay and are improving the lives of Americans across the country.
From supplying vaccinations to checkups. There isn’t a single thing mobile clinics can’t do.
They’re solving real problems for millions of Americans every year.
And they can do the same for your community.