Advantages of Mobile Health Services

Many people are deprived of consistent, modern health care because of their location or economic situation. They can be hundreds of miles from a hospital or clinic, in a slum or depressed region, or in an area that is regularly under-served. A properly equipped and designed mobile unit can deliver medical services on a regularly scheduled basis that people can depend on. 

In most cases, mobile health care delivery is chosen because it is a reasonably economic way to provide necessary care. The cost of building a permanent structure providing permanent staff (housing, food, etc.) is often exorbitant. The cost-saving issue runs the full gamut from basic exam units to mobile diagnostic units.

The major advantage of mobile units over fixed sites is their ability to move! Mobile units have been called into service for disaster response; national emergencies (vaccinations); and to provide back up when there are issues with the fixed site (construction, fire, replaced equipment, etc.) in order to keep critical services available.

Mobile units have been used by numerous companies and health systems for providing services (blood collection, dental, mammography screening, vaccinations, etc.) at work sites. Employees can walk outside the building, get their exam/treatment, and be right back at work. No time is lost for travel or waiting. At one large industrial company who required annual physicals and x-ray, the mobile unit fully paid for itself after one year of use!

Offer an Alternative to Governments, Non-Profit Organizations, Industry and Foundations to Make Donations that Directly Improve the Health of Targeted Populations: It is a fact that donations to mobile health projects not only offer badly needed health services; they also serve as a vehicle to show people that others care for their welfare. Mobile mammography, dental, sports medicine, cardiac testing and blood pressure, etc. programs have been funded by outside organizations.

Allow Health Care Providers to “Test the Water”: Many times the decision to spend hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars for medical equipment and fixed facilities is not clear cut. A number of facilities have contracted with mobile service providers to understand usage, cost structures and personnel requirements. In a number of cases, it has been determined that the mobile service alternative proved to be the best choice!

Increase Patient Care Capacity Permanently: Customers using mobile vehicles as an interim services have found that it was so cost effective that they kept the unit permanently. This happens more frequently with diagnostic services.

Allow for Seasonal Usage: At times, mobile units serve areas that have dramatic summer or winter changes in patient volumes. Mobile units with appropriate services are excellent alternatives to fill these gaps.

Delivery of Sophisticated State-of-the-Art Health Care and Technology by Trained Professionals: The staff on mobile health units are well qualified in their field and offer a level of consistency to patients. Whether it is a prenatal exam or a diagnostic exam, the technicians on-board are experts in their field and maintain the highest level of service and care. With today’s advanced digital telemetry and high definition video for tele-medicine, any patient can be linked to a physician for diagnostic and treatment decisions.

Provide Expensive Medical Technology to Areas Deprived of this Service due to Population Size or Location: The advent of mobile diagnostic screening in the mid-1980’s spawned a new industry that grew to unanticipated proportions. Thousands of mobile CT, MRI, PET/CT, lithotripsy, bone densitometry, mammography and nuclear medicine units serve all 50 States in the U.S., Europe, and other countries. 

Mobile units have resale value either in their current design or for conversion to another purpose. There is a large secondary market both in the U.S. and overseas for used mobile units.

Mobile units can normally be designed to meet any reasonable budget. Working with reputable, experienced manufacturers, will insure an honest evaluation of minimum budget targets while still receiving a mobile unit that lives up to a buyers expectations.