Mobile Medical
How the Pandemic Has Led the Industry to Adopt Mobile Medical Clinics
April 12, 2021
Currently, approximately 2,000 mobile clinics are operating across the United States. These medical clinics are responsible for serving 7 million at-risk people annually. In this way, mobile medical vehicles play a critical role in ensuring the well-being of many communities.
During the pandemic, the need for mobile medical clinics has only risen. In many ways, the pandemic has actually led the industry to adopt mobile medical vehicles on a larger scale.
With a surge in demand for medical services, mobile clinics were able to meet an array of critical needs. The following are all reasons why the pandemic has led to this increased use of mobile medical vehicles and why that change is likely here to stay.
On-Demand Services Took Center Stage
The pandemic led to an increased need for on-demand services. Mobile medical clinics were able to meet many of these needs, including all of the following on-demand services:
- COVID-19 Testing Sites: If there is an image of 2020 that is top of mind for many, it is the vision of COVID-19 testing sites. With the high demand for testing, mobile medical clinics became an ideal solution for rapidly deploying more testing sites.
- Hospital Relief Teams: As COVID cases surged, many hospitals were overrun with patients. Health care workers were forced to work long hours, often working weeks on end without a break. Mobile medical clinics played a critical role in meeting the needs of understaffed and overflowing hospitals. These clinics were able to travel to areas where the needs were highest and provide much-needed relief.
- Vaccine Sites: Once COVID-19 vaccines were approved, the push to roll out these life-saving vaccines became a critical task. Mobile medical clinics are being utilized to create vaccination sites across communities. With the ability to set up in a parking lot or other convenient location, these mobile medical vehicles can quickly distribute vaccines to eligible recipients.
Reaching Homebound Patients Became More Critical Than Ever
Another reason why the pandemic led the industry to adopt mobile medical clinics is the need to reach homebound patients. This became more critical since many elderly patients needed to remain home to stay safe.
During the height of the pandemic, mobile medical vehicles made it possible to still treat patients who were at high risk for COVID. This ensured that important medical treatments were being administered without requiring high-risk patients to enter a hospital or clinic where COVID patients were also being treated.
Mobile Medical Clinics Filled in the Gap for Underserved Populations
Mobile healthcare clinics played a critical role during the pandemic in supporting underserved populations. Furthermore, research has shown that mobile medical vehicles are one of the most cost-effective solutions for delivering medical care to these communities. During a study of several mobile medical clinics in the southern US, it was discovered that delivering healthcare costs less through the use of these clinics than through federally funded stationary health centers.
This also increased the ability to reach displaced or isolated individuals. Mobile medical clinics excel at delivering healthcare in emergency situations. They are effective at reaching socially and economically underserved populations across urban and rural settings.
During the pandemic, with so many in need of medical attention, this became more important than ever before.
Mobile Medical Clinics Offered Much-Needed Assistance
In the same study as outlined above, it was discovered that only 19% of normal clinics were able to provide their usual services of care during the pandemic. This means that many community-facing health programs were severely impacted during the pandemic, leaving many at-risk communities without access to necessary healthcare.
Mobile medical clinics can play a critical role in delivering assistance to clinics that are overrun during emergency situations, like during the COVID-19 case surges.
With experts predicting a future where pandemics continue to be a global problem, mobile medical vehicles are an ideal solution. These clinics can be deployed to high-risk areas as needed, ensuring that life-saving medical care is provided even during peak surges.
Flexibility in Services Became Critical
During the pandemic, the needs of communities were constantly changing. As COVID cases surged, the demand for medical care and testing became even more important. When cases were lower, mobile medical clinics were able to adapt and offer standard services.
The beauty of mobile medical clinics is that they can be customized to offer flexibility in services. When testing was necessary, the right equipment could be placed onboard and teams could be deployed to areas as needed. When life-saving care was necessary, mobile clinics could be outfitted with the right equipment and deployed to areas where hospital beds were no longer available.
Add Mobile Medical Vehicles to Your Fleet Today
The pandemic has caused an increased adoption of mobile medical clinics across the US. With their ability to provide life-saving services, these vehicles are an incredible asset for any community.
If your hospital or clinic is considering adding a mobile medical clinic to its services, talk to the team at Summit Bodyworks. We can help you find the perfect custom mobile medical vehicle for your fleet. We customize a variety of mobile medical clinics to meet any need. Choose from customization options such as the following:
- Seating arrangements
- On-board technology
- Medical equipment
- Storage space
- Break rooms
- Private rooms for patient screening
- Variety of vehicle size options
No matter what your medical team needs, our Summit Bodyworks is here to ensure that you have access to the right mobile medical vehicle for your fleet. Talk to us about customizing a medical vehicle today.
