Mobile health clinic model in the COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons learned and opportunities for policy changes and innovation

Publication: International Journal for Equity in Health

Mobile clinics represent an untapped resource for our health care system. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated its limitations. Mobile health clinic programs in the US already play important, albeit under-appreciated roles in the healthcare system. Despite an increasing body of evidence of the unique value of this highly adaptable model of care, mobile clinics are not widely supported. This has resulted in a missed opportunity to deploy mobile clinics during national emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as using these already existing, and trusted programs to overcome barriers to access that are experienced by under-resourced communities.

This study explores the economic and social impact that mobile clinics have on communities and encourages policies that enable expansion and integration of mobile clinics into our health care system.