In today's fast-paced society, so much of life is streamlined and on-the-go. From mobile phones to mobile homes, people are accustomed to the convenience of portability. So, why not health care?
In answer to the question, many Adventist Health hospitals take their mission to the streets by offering mobile health care services. From free shots for tots to the latest in cancer detection, hospitals are moving health care into their communities.
Traveling Clinic Keeps Kids Healthy
For most kids, doctor’s appointments are bad enough, but nothing’s scarier than a shot. So imagine working in a traveling immunization clinic responsible for “shooting” more than 26,000 children over the last six years.
Melissa Vega does just that. As community outreach specialist and interim supervisor of the San Joaquin Community Hospital (SJCH) Children’s Immunization Program, Vega is responsible for overseeing the traveling immunization clinic that serves Kern County in central California. Sponsored by First 5 Kern and in partnership with SJCH, the clinic is housed in a new 36-foot fifth-wheel trailer specially designed with small patients in mind.
Decorated with bright colors and happy, smiling children, the trailer is intended to welcome the young patients it serves. It still doesn’t take the sting out of the shot though. “By the time they head up the stairs and see us, they know something’s up,” said Vega, chuckling.
The trailer goes to specific locations throughout the county, offering free immunization clinics that provide nearly 100 shots per session. “Most people take their trailers out a few times a year,” said Norma May, manager of Volunteer Services and Immunizations at SJCH. “Our trailer goes out three to four times per week and sees around 35 patients a day.”
“It’s a wonderful way to be involved in the community,” she added. “The people who provide the grant money for this program have helped save millions of dollars in health care expenses.”
The program, which began in 2000, has offered more than 880 free immunization clinics throughout Bakersfield and Kern County, administering vaccines against several dreaded childhood diseases including: polio; measles, mumps and rubella; tetanus and hepatitis A and B. Also, every fall, the mobile clinic offers free physicals, including hearing and vision checks, so that children can be registered for kindergarten.
“The staff is great with the kids,” said May. “And the families are very appreciative.”
Indeed, many families bring their children in year after year.
“It’s an awesome program,” said Vega. “We get so many parents that immunize their children as newborns and continue coming back. We get to see them through to kindergarten. It’s neat following up with patients through the years.”
Educating with the WOW factor
Castle Medical Center (CMC) is WOWing its community with its Wellness on Wheels health education van, visiting schools, health fairs and community events on the Windward Side of Oahu, Hawaii.
“It’s our venue for communicating our health and education message to our community,” said Beth Z. Davidann, MPH, Wellness Center assistant at CMC.
WOW is designed to work closely with programs offered through the hospital’s Wellness Center and with community events. The inside of the van allows small groups to watch videos or view educational exhibits while the outside of the van provides transportation and great advertising—especially since billboards are not legal in Hawaii.
About the size of an airport shuttle, “The van is a very nice, empty box that can be transformed for different displays,” said Davidann.
Indeed, the van is transformed for a variety of health education purposes, including events on nutrition, physical activity and tobacco prevention. Most recently it was used for the American Cancer Society’s “Great American Smokeout” health fair late last year. The smokeout not only promoted smoking cessation but also launched the new Smoke-Free Hawaii law, which eliminates smoking in any public place, much like California and other states.
“We have been very blessed to have significant community support,” said Davidann. “For example, the local Ford dealership offers free basic checkups and Aloha Gas gives us fuel at half price.” In return, supporters’ logos are highlighted on the back of the van.
Whether it’s visiting elementary schools about nutrition, participating in the annual Fourth of July parade or offering small health classes, the WOW van wows.
Mobile Cancer Detection in Northern California
When people choose to live in rural country, they often choose quality of life over quantity of services available. Unfortunately, this often applies to specialized medical care. Not so for six rural communities in Northern California where Adventist Health facilities reside. When it comes to state-of-the-art cancer detection, the services are literally coming to their doorstep.
As of early 2006, a mobile PET/CT scanner began operations at Feather River Hospital in Paradise; Redbud Community Hospital in Clearlake; St. Helena Hospital in St. Helena; Sonora Regional Medical Center in Sonora; and Ukiah Valley Medical Center in Ukiah. The new technology enables doctors to more accurately detect cancer and pinpoint its exact location in the body.
PET/CT is particularly effective in the diagnosis of head and neck, lung, colon, thyroid and breast malignancies, along with lymphoma and melanoma. It also is used to evaluate Frontotemporal Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
According to UVMC Radiologist Randy Bivens, M.D., PET/CT scans greatly decrease the time to diagnose what is or isn’t cancer, “Not only does the community have one of the most state-of-the-art cancer detection scans available locally, but we can now diagnose several cancers in minutes compared to days.”
Having this advanced technology in a mobile configuration allows Adventist Health hospitals to meet community needs by offering a state-of-the-art exam to patients in rural areas that is otherwise only offered at larger, metropolitan hospitals.
