GREELEY, Colo. — What do you do when people aren't able to get to a health clinic? You bring the clinic to them.
That is the simple premise of the Weld County Public Health Mobile Unit.
In the seven months since it began operating, the county says the mobile clinic has already served between 1,600 and 1,700 patients and is on track to serve 2,500 by the end of year one.
With a staff of three, including a dedicated nurse, the mobile clinic offers services such as vaccinations, check-ups, and screenings for STIs, diabetes, and lead.
The mobile health unit team collaborates with school districts, local nonprofits, food banks, and employers to ensure that the mobile unit is present where it is most needed. These partners help identify specific community needs and coordinate logistics.
The mobile unit should visit 100 locations by the end of the first year.
If a patient is uninsured or under-insured, they won't pay a dime.
Denver7 anchor Shannon Ogden spoke with Shaun May, director of public health services for the Weld County Health Department.
May said each patient fills out a survey after each visit, and the survey results show that 60% of patients said they received a service or treatment at the mobile clinic that they would not have received without it.
So does the county consider the mobile clinic a success?
"Yes. God knows yes. One of the things I'm most proud of in my career," said May.
Weld County is also quite large, more than 4,000 square miles, and a lot of that is rural. May says that is another reason the mobile clinic was started, but some residents cannot get to a brick-and-mortar clinic.
"It's bringing care closer to the residents of Weld County. Weld County is large, not just in population but also geographically. And the reality is the brick-and-mortar health care is not going to be accessible to all parts of Weld County," said May.
The cost of the rolling clinic was $526,000. Vehicle and staff services are paid for through CDPHE grants, county funding, and billing private insurance when possible.
May expects the mobile clinic to visit 125 events next year.
