WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — In an attempt to deliver health care to those without health insurance, Wake Forest Baptist Health and the School Health Alliance of Forsyth County (SHA) have joined forces to create the 'Mobile Health Program.'
The new mobile clinic will bring health care directly to underserved neighborhoods and schools in Forsyth County. The clinic is wheelchair accessible and includes two private exam rooms and a counseling room.
Uninsured adults and children will be able to receive a wide array of services including preventative care, treatment for minor illnesses, and management of chronic health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and asthma.
The clinic health care team is made up of a nurse practitioner, a behavioral health specialist, and a certified nursing assistant. In addition, health education, nutrition coaching, lab services, and referrals to specialists will be provided, if needed through the mobile clinic.
“The goal of the mobile clinic is to provide convenient and high-quality health care to underserved patients who may not be able to afford care or have the means to get to a doctor’s office,” said Rachel Zimmer, D.N.P., clinic director of Wake Forest Baptist’s Community Health Alliance. “We want to be able to prevent or treat health issues for those in our community before they potentially turn into costly health crises for them and get them connected to the most appropriate care for their needs.”
While the unit will visit areas in Forsyth County based on rates of chronic disease, poverty and food insecurity the mobile clinic will also treat people regardless of where they live. It will also make weekly visits to Cook Elementary School, Parkland, and Carver High Schools in Winston-Salem, provided by the SHA.
“With the mobile clinic, we are hopeful that we can build trust and reduce barriers to care as we work with other community partners, like the SHA, in achieving healthy populations, one individual at a time,” said Richard Lord, M.D., chair of family and community medicine and vice president of clinical operations, population health at Wake Forest Baptist.
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