DOWNLOAD SLIDES: Health and Economic Impact of Rural Mobile Clinics
At the 2023 Annual Rural Health Conference hosted by the National Rural Health Association, our Executive Director, Mollie Williams, presented new data highlighting the impact of mobile clinics in rural communities. This data underscores the vital role mobile clinics play in improving access to care, reducing health disparities, and driving economic benefits in rural areas across the country.
New data about the impact of rural mobile clinics
Our presentation shared a new analysis of rural mobile clinics across the United States including who they reach and the services they provide, including immunizations, blood pressure screening, and mammography. Using Dr. Nancy Oriol’s algorithm to estimate the economic benefit of mobile clinics, we presented how mobile clinics save lives, reduce healthcare costs, and provide economic benefit to communities.
Mobile clinics deliver high-value care in rural communities
Mobile health care has grown exponentially over the past three years as providers sought creative ways to deliver COVID-related services while continuing to meet communities’ ongoing healthcare needs. As the field of mobile health continues to evolve, it is important to understand the unique aspects of rural mobile health and how providers can sustain efforts that began as a response to COVID-19 and now have the opportunity to adapt and meet other rural health needs.
What we already know about mobile healthcare
Mobile health programs have been shown to be effective in the management of chronic diseases, such as asthma and hypertension, as well as in the improvement of self-efficacy and participation in recommended preventive screenings. Increasingly, health care providers are delivering behavioral health, harm reduction, and crisis intervention services using mobile health units. Some organizations also couple mobile health care with telemedicine to expand access to specialists while overcoming the digital divide.
Let’s connect!
If you want to talk about opportunities to advance rural health, please reach out. We must continue to invest in the capacity mobile providers to adapt and sustain their efforts to meet the changing needs of communities.
