The University of Rochester Medicine Golisano Children's hospital is taking their act on the road with the launch of a state-of-the art pediatric mobile clinic.
The vibrant colors of the unit, in a scheme designed by Rochester artist Shawn Dunwoody, make the clinic hard to miss and welcoming to kids.
"I've learned that some of the biggest barriers to health care have nothing to do with medicine. They're the everyday realities that many families navigate," said Jill Halterman, physician-in-chief of the children's hospital. Halterman said transportation, work schedules, and the absence of childcare can often delay a child's wellness.
"When we bring care closer to families, rather than asking families to come to us, many of those barriers simply disappear," Halterman said.
The mobile clinic was made possible through collaboration with various community benefactors and developed with community partners and a youth advisory board.
" When you go inside, it just opens the door to have a more natural conversation, and it puts the human part back into healthcare," said Dr. Arturo Brito, president and CEO of Children's Health Fund. The organization has helped develop mobile clinic programs nationwide.
The mobile team includes a nurse, a nurse practitioner, a social worker, and the driver, who's a medical technician. Services will include well-child visits, immunizations, primary care and mental health supports.
"Consistent healthcare is something that most caregivers know matters in a child's life, but at times it sits just out of reach," said Wendy Howe, director of operations for the mobile clinic. "That gap is what this clinic seeks to close one visit at a time."
The pediatric mobile unit is currently parked outside the Thomas Ryan R Center in the Beechwood neighborhood. Officials said the clinic will begin serving the city of Rochester with plans to expand across Monroe County.
"By bringing healthcare directly into our neighborhoods, this clinic helps remove barriers and makes sure that every young person who needs it gets the care they need to grow and be healthy and reach their full potential," said Shirley Green, commissioner of the city's Department of Recreation and Human Services,
Officials said services are available to all children and young people up to age 21, regardless of insurance status or housing situation.
