If you can’t reach a doctor’s office, Union Community Care wants to be able to bring the doctor’s office to you.
Since late April, Union Community Care has been offering services in its new mobile care unit — a high-roof van outfitted as a medical clinic. It has appeared at school and community events and begun making regular rounds among Lancaster County’s Plain population. It’s expected to serve thousands of patients annually.
“It’s a hit,” said James Reichenbach, Union Community Care’s Chief Community Impact Officer.
Meanwhile, Union Community Care has ordered a second vehicle, a mobile dental unit, which it hopes to deploy beginning early in 2025.
Serving the underserved
Union Community Care is the area’s sole “federally qualified health center,” a type of health organization that specializes in caring for underserved and disadvantaged populations.
Its pool of patients has grown in the past few years. In fiscal 2023 it served 40,600 individuals in Lancaster and Lebanon counties, providing nearly 150,000 appointments.
Many of its clients struggle with transportation challenges, making “meeting them where they are” a priority, Reichenbach and spokeswoman Nicole Specht said. Hence the need for the mobile unit.
“Breaking down barriers to care in areas with limited access to health services increases health and wellness in our community,” said Alisa Jones, Union Community Care President & CEO.
Health researchers say mobile clinics are cost-effective and can yield substantial return on investment by providing timely preventive care and reducing emergency room visits and hospitalizations. A study of one mobile clinic in Boston found healthcare savings of $23 per $1 in operating cost.
Massachusetts-based Cabot Coach Builders constructed Union Community Care’s vehicle, starting with a Ford F450 chassis. Building and outfitting it was budgeted at $200,000; funding came from a number of sources, including the High Foundation, Stabler Foundation, Members 1st Foundation, Highmark Foundation and Capital Blue Cross. United Way of Lancaster County provided $41,500 through its Level Up & Launch initiative.
Mobile clinics vary in dimension; some are as big as a motorcoach. Union Community Care intentionally chose a moderate size, Reichenbach said: It can be driven with a regular driver’s license, and narrow streets are not an obstacle, whether in Lancaster or one of the surrounding boroughs.
The vehicle is staffed by two Union Community Care staff, a doctor or nurse practitioner and a medical assistant. Services include primary and preventive care for children and adults, immunizations, physicals and more.
As part of Union Community Care’s “Plain Health” program, it journeys out to Amish and Old Order Mennonite communities every Wednesday, covering Lancaster County and part of Chester County over an eight-week rotation. The next couple of routes are in the Lititz and Ephrata areas, after which the medical unit will head out to the county’s east side.
Appointments are scheduled based on need, either at community locations such as fire halls or at individual families’ homesteads.
Dental
For its mobile dental unit, Union Community Care has contracted with North Carolina vendor Matthews Specialty Vehicles. The estimated cost is $300,000, Reichenbach said. Delivery is expected in December, allowing rollout early in 2025.
It will offer hygienist appointments for cleaning and scaling, plus dental checkups, as well as other services to be determined, based on need and feasibility.
Like the mobile medical unit, it won’t require a specialized license to drive. It will have its own power supply and water tank, so it won’t need external hookups — an advantage for mobility and flexibility.
“We’re excited to get it here and get it on the road,” Reichenbach said.
While there are no immediate plans to add more vehicles, Reichenbach anticipates the fleet will expand further in coming years. Union Community Care has spent a lot of time listening to feedback from patients and the community, he said, and building out mobile capacity “reflects what we’ve been asked to do.”
