HOW DO MOBILE HEALTH CLINICS IMPACT PATIENT ACCESS TO CARE

A mobile health clinic is basically a doctor’s office or exam room located inside a large van, bus, or RV. These vehicle-based clinics belong to health systems or can be their own entities. They travel to medically underserved areas to help connect patients who cannot afford healthcare. 

A 2017 literature review published in the International Journal for Equity in Health noted that mobile health clinics make an unfamiliar healthcare environment more familiar by being located right in a patient’s neighborhood.

Healthcare organizations hosting mobile health clinics aren’t just saving money, they are also making a dent in the most vulnerable, safety-net patient populations. Sixty percent of the patients visiting mobile health clinics are uninsured, and another 31 percent have public insurance.

HOW EFFECTIVE ARE MOBILE HEALTH CLINICS?

As the healthcare industry seeks to reduce care disparities, address the social determinants of health, and promote value-based care, mobile health clinics have served to fill in the gaps. These vehicle-based clinics have proven extremely effective at connecting high-risk patients with primary and preventive care.

Data included in the International Journal of Equity in Health literature review showed that mobile health clinics have made it easier for patients to access the appropriate type of care.

Industry experts often look at emergency department utilization rates to understand the overall health of a region. When ED utilization rates are excessive, experts can conclude that there are critical primary care needs in a community.

The research included in the literature review found that visits from a mobile health clinic reduced further medical expenses. In other communities, mobile health clinics have led to lower readmission rates, more symptom-free days, and better patient reports of quality of life.

Mobile health clinics are also good at delivering value-based care. Because these clinics focus on preventive and primary care, they can detect at-risk individuals and begin health interventions early, increasing the likelihood of recovery and reducing eventual health costs. This is because mobile health clinics come to patients and make it easier for them to engage with their healthcare providers.

Some studies suggest that patients who visit mobile health clinics can also increase their health literacy, making it easier and more empowering for them to manage their own health. One of the studies included in the literature review found that patients were 78 percent more likely to self-manage their conditions after visiting a mobile health clinic.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES OF MOBILE CLINICS?

Of course, mobile health clinics are not a panacea. While these clinics can be effective at closing care gaps, addressing the social determinants of health, and promoting health equity, they also have some shortcomings. 

Mobile health clinics may also encounter difficulties sustaining themselves. The mobile part of the clinic can create some limitations on the number of patients served. It could also be difficult to recruit clinicians to serve inside of these mobile clinics.Even still, mobile health clinics are filling a healthcare need.

Healthcare organizations working to reach previously unreachable patient populations are employing mobile health clinics to help address patient needs. The goal to drive health equity and address the social determinants of health is pressing, that is often left behind will ultimately drive care quality and outcomes for everyone.