Health Leaders Media: Address Your Toughest Care Gaps With Mobile Health Clinics

Healthcare organizations looking to connect with underserved populations on their own turf—literally—are taking a closer look at mobile health clinics.

Roughly 2,000 mobile health clinics exist around the country, according to a March 2023 study published in the American Journal of Accountable Care. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from trucks and vans to specially designed RVs and EMS units, and offer a variety of services, including primary and specialty care, population health, and health and wellness resources.

Many have launched over the last decade to give healthcare organizations, especially children’s hospitals, a new channel to connect with underserved communities. Aside from addressing access challenges, they address key public health concerns (e.g., maternal mortality, substance abuse, and sexually transmitted disease) and offer health systems an opportunity to expand outreach, boost vaccination and testing programs, and even reduce ER traffic.