Mobile Medical
October 14, 2021
Mobile specialty vehicles are an extremely beneficial addition to medical clinics of all kinds. Utilized to offer specialized services, these units can travel to areas where they are needed the most. This allows service workers to reach sectors of the community that often forgo the medical care that they need.
But, as is true with any additional equipment or personnel needs, acquiring a mobile specialty vehicle comes with a cost. For clinics that are strapped for funding, this can be a difficult investment to make upfront.
The good news is that many medical teams are tapping into grant money to help fund this critical service. This guide will help you learn more about the basics of acquiring and utilizing grant money for your mobile specialty vehicle.
While there is ample funding available for medical teams that are interested in adding a mobile specialty vehicle to their clinic, acquiring that funding requires planning and strategy. It all begins by identifying the purpose of the unit and the unique need it will meet.
Much of the funding dedicated to mobile medical units revolves around specific causes or community needs. The following are all potential ideas for what needs your medical unit could meet:
Part of the grant application process will involve clearly outlining how the money will be used. Before applying for money, make sure you have a business plan and a long-term strategy for the vehicle’s use. This should cover everything from the specific purpose of the vehicle to your plan for staffing the vehicle. The more detailed your business plan, the better your chances of winning grant money.
Applying for a grant is a fairly complex process. For this reason, many businesses will either hire a grant writer to assist with the research and application process, or they will pay to have one of their employees trained in the process. Grant writing involves finding the right opportunities, creating a compelling story around the application, and including all the right information and business details necessary.
When looking for places to apply for funding, the following list can be a beneficial jumping off point for medical teams:
Once you have received grant money for a mobile specialty vehicle, the hardest work is behind you. Now it is time to follow the strategy you outlined for using that money. This will usually involve the following steps.
With your grant money secured, it is time to find a custom builder who can help you design your mobile specialty vehicle. Look for a business that has experience in custom mobile medical units.
Ideally, your custom builder should have both designers and engineers on staff who can help you create the ideal layout and secure the specialty equipment you will need to operate.
With the help of your custom builder, it is time to design the layout of your mobile specialty vehicle. You’ll need to determine the size of the build, the workflow, and the built-in equipment and technology.
Make sure that during the design process, you discuss your budgetary needs with your custom builder. This can help ensure that you use your grant the way you intend. For example, if you planned to use part of your grant money for the build and part of it for training new personnel, you will want to carefully track the budget throughout the process.
Finally, after your mobile specialty vehicle has been built, it is time to staff the unit and get to work. In many cases, you will want to use some of your grant money to fund the operation of your vehicle. You might even consider applying for additional funding as you go through the early stages of launching the clinic.
If you are looking to use grant money for a mobile specialty vehicle, our team at Summit Bodyworks can help. We will be happy to discuss the budget you will need for a custom design and, once you have secured your funding, we’ll be glad to get to work designing the perfect mobile clinic for your needs. Contact our team today to learn more about the process of designing and building a mobile specialty vehicle.
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