(Mosaic’s Mobile Community Clinic | Photo provided by PDX Wraps of Sherwood and shared with permission)
Mosaic Medical is pleased to announce that its new Mobile Community Clinic (MCC) has arrived in Central Oregon and will begin traveling around the region to serve patients this week.
Thanks to the generous support of donors, Mosaic’s mobile clinic program is entering a new era with a state-of-the-art clinic. Our new clinic, a 2019 Ford Winnebago, was custom designed and manufactured by ADI Mobile Health. The company, based in Tualatin, has nearly 30 years of experience building mobile health clinics for clients worldwide.
The MCC is now able to safely travel across the region, even during inclement weather, to reach those who need medical care most. New amenities in the clinic include functional air conditioning and heat, all-wheel drive, expanded exam room space, wheelchair accessibility and increased refrigeration space for vaccines. Mosaic is now able to provide enhanced wrap-around medical services to better serve the increasing number of community members who are experiencing homelessness in Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson Counties.
“As the only organization offering mobile medical care to those experiencing homelessness, we needed to have a reliable mobile unit. We were limited on the type of services offered and when we were visiting partners due to the age of our previous clinic,” said Carla Stevens, Mosaic’s chief operating officer. “We are so excited about the possibilities this new clinic provides to continue improving the health and well-being of the individuals and communities we serve through our mobile clinic program.”
Last November, the community was asked to help raise the final funds needed to purchase the new RV, and the community’s support helped Mosaic secure the new mobile clinic. We would like to give a special thank you to the following supporters who made this dream a reality:
- Collins Foundation
- Oregon Community Foundation
- Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation
- First Interstate Bank Foundation
- Central Oregon Realtors Association
- More than 20 individual community members
The new clinic replaces a 27-year-old converted RV that could no longer be relied upon to safely travel the many miles required around the region to reach patients. Inclement winter weather often forced the cancellation of visits during the time of year when access to care is needed the most.
The origins of the mobile clinic date back many years, when the team at Central Oregon Veterans Outreach (COVO) conceived of an effort to take a mobile health clinic out to homeless camps in the area. In 2013 they donated their mobile van to Mosaic Medical, and the Mobile Community Clinic (MCC) program came to life.
Today the MCC travels throughout Deschutes County, providing quality, accessible healthcare to more than 700 individuals experiencing homelessness and at-risk youth. Those experiencing homelessness have an increased risk for bronchitis, pneumonia, skin damage, frostbite and other issues. And due to a lack of transportation, many people are not able to make it to one of the other 14 regional Mosaic clinics for care, so access to healthcare on the mobile clinic is critical.
The MCC offers care on a walk-in basis at locations where people are already accessing services, such as cold-weather shelters and food banks. The mobile clinic weekly schedule includes stops at multiple locations in Bend, Redmond and Madras.
