Is your program trying to reduce health disparities in vulnerable and remote communities?
Are you looking for a way to meet your patients where they are, eliminating the need for them to travel to receive treatment?
Do you need a custom clinic layout specifically designed to suit your community’s needs?
Then, you may be looking for a mobile clinic van.
At MoveMobility, we have three different kinds of mobile medical vans–all designed by our technician experts to provide healthcare in remote communities and urban centers: the Mobile Outreach Van, the Mobile Response Van, and the Mobile Clinic Van.
In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about the Mobile Clinic Van (MC Model) to determine if it’s the right medical van for your organization.
What is it?
Think of a Mobile Clinic Van as a doctor’s office on wheels.
A Mobile Clinic Van is a van that’s been converted into a mobile medical treatment space.
Mobile Clinic Vans provide primary healthcare and other services to underserved populations. They often serve people who are otherwise unreachable by typical healthcare methods.
Why are Mobile Clinic Vans used?
Organizations all over Canada use MoveMobility’s MC Model to deliver health services to patients who cannot access a health center or hospital, helping to reduce health disparities.
A person may be unable to access a health center for many reasons. These include:
- Mobility issues
- Lack of transportation
- Remote location
- Financial restraints
- Language barriers
- Wait times
A person who cannot get primary healthcare is more likely to suffer from undiagnosed health conditions.
This leads to late diagnoses and more advanced health issues in patients. Treating advanced yet preventable health conditions is costly for the healthcare system.
Mobile medical clinic vans are not only used to provide basic healthcare but also personal services such as:
- Addictions treatment
- Mental health counseling
- Outreach services to homeless and vulnerable populations.
What are the advantages of having a Mobile Clinic Van for your organization?
There are many advantages to getting a Mobile Clinic Van for your organization.
1. They prevent emergency room visits by providing a safe, non-emergency treatment option for clients
A mobile medical van prevents an estimated amount of 600 emergency room visits per year, according to Mobile Health Map, by providing healthcare to individuals where they are–eliminating the need for them to find healthcare elsewhere.
2. They provide accessible healthcare to remote communities
People in rural areas typically have to travel a long distance to get the services they don’t have access to in their communities.
The MC Model can alleviate this issue because people don’t have to travel long distances to get the healthcare they need–the van can come to them.
3. They improve health outcomes by providing healthcare before health issues become an emergency
Mobile Clinic Vans can help patients treat health issues early, which means the issues won’t get increasingly worse–and even untreatable–over time.
How much does one cost?
The MC Model from MoveMobility can cost between $140,000 to $270,000, which includes the cost of the van, specialized medical equipment, delivery, and more. Keep in mind that this is just an estimate and actual costs may vary depending on your build.
Click here to learn what makes up the cost of the MC Model and why.
What’s included in it?
The MC Model includes:
- “Doctor’s office on wheels” setup
- Floor-to-ceiling cabinetry
- Patient bed with under-bed storage
- Options for sink and fridge
- Power supply
- Rear Heat & Air Conditioning
- Clean, comfortable environment
You can also add the following equipment to your Mobile Clinic Van:
- High-capacity heat & air system
- Winter tire package
- Remote start
- Advanced medical equipment
What driving license do you need to drive a Mobile Clinic Van?
With a Mobile Clinic Van, you do not need a specialized license* and you are not required to have specific equipment–again, because a Mobile Clinic Van is not used for emergency health situations.
*This is true for most provinces in Canada, excluding B.C.
Who are Mobile Clinic Vans right for?
Mobile Clinic Vans are used by many different groups, including:
Indigenous and First Nations communities
In many Indigenous and First Nation communities, patients are located too far from a health center to have access to basic health care.
Mobile Clinic Vans are used to visit patients at their homes or nearby locations.
Vans are used for mental health counseling, sexual health programs, and other services that require a culturally appropriate approach.
Housing and homeless societies
Initiatives that work to end homelessness need a way to address their client’s needs right where they are.
The Mobile Clinic Van is equipped with a private space to give these programs a safe working environment in underserved places. Social workers can have an on-demand treatment space with supplies and personnel to best serve their clients.
Addictions services
Addiction services are often offered in traditional facilities…
That being said, Mobile Clinic Vans provides a safe, private, approachable space for persons in need of addiction help without the possible stigma of going into a clinic.
Non-emergency response services
Mobile Clinic Vans are a medical space for non-urgent medical needs such as bloodwork, physical exams, first aid, and stretcher transportation are all possible in a custom Mobile Clinic Van.
Industrial safety companies
Industrial safety companies that respond to workplace accidents require a mobile treatment space that carries the supplies, equipment, and personnel needed–all of which is available in a Mobile Clinic Van.
Your next steps to securing a Mobile Clinic Van for your organization
You came to this article to discover if a Mobile Clinic Van is right for your organization.
Now, you’ve learned everything you need to know about it to make this decision.
If you’re still not sure if a Mobile Clinic Van is right for your organization, talk to a MoveMobility expert today.
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