HAGERSTOWN – Sometimes it’s a struggle to get to the doctor. Sometimes it’s a struggle to even have a doctor at all.
Meritus Mobile Health aims to bridge the gap between patients and providers.
“When Mobile Health encounters a patient within the community, their goal is to evaluate, provide education, resources and care coordination to ensure all patients receive equal access to health care,” said Beth Fields Dowdell, director of community health and outpatient care management at Meritus Health. “Their services further enforce the Meritus’ core value of being community obsessed and are a valuable resource to patients all across the organization.”
The mobile health clinic was born out of the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to meet increased demand for vaccines in the area. Using a mobile health van purchased through a grant, the mobile clinic traveled to underserved areas of the community, as well as nursing homes and schools.
Since COVID, mobile health has expanded into a primary care clinic consisting of a nurse practitioner/community health worker team. In addition, the team is supported by other subspecialties such psychiatry, pharmacy and peer support.
The team sees on average 30 patients per week between community outreach events, street outreach and home visits.
The mobile clinic has a full exam room and can test for strep, flu, RSV, COVID and blood glucose levels. Healthcare providers on board offer health screenings and acute illness visits at places across Washington County.
“We can set up in a church parking lot or a gas station, for example,” Dowdell said.
The team is able to address patients’ medical and social concerns, and if an issue can’t be addressed during the visit, the providers can connect patients with other agencies in the community.
Patients who don’t have a primary care provider are set up with follow-up care with one of Meritus’ primary care offices, such as Meritus Family Medicine on Walnut Street in Hagerstown, or Meritus Primary Care in Hancock.
Patients can be literally any age.
In patient homes, the Mobile Health Team provides follow-up assessments, education and resources after discharge from Meritus Medical Center.
Often times patients with new diagnoses of chronic conditions, such as diabetes, congestive heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, require reinforcement of the education provided at discharge for a successful transition.
The mobile team provides a unique view of patients within their own setting which further helps address social determinates of health, which are non-medical factors that influence health outcomes.
“We focus on bridging the gap between hospital discharge and follow-up care,” Dowdell said.
To learn more about the Mobile Health team, as well as dates, times and locations when services are offered, readers may visit www.meritushealth.com/mobile, or call 301-790-9496.
