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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Marla Oros, MS, RN1, Lyn Stankiewicz Murphy, MS, MBA, RN2, Meg Johantgen, PhD, RN1, and Susan Antol1. (1) School of Nursing, University of Maryland, 655 West Lombard street, Suite 404, Baltimore, MD 21201, 410-706-0141, OROS@son.umaryland.edu, (2) Department of Clinical and External Affairs, University of Maryland, 655 West Lombard Street, Suite 404K, Baltimore, MD 21201
Public health refers to the "organized community efforts designed to prevent disease and promote health." (Stanhope and Lancaster, 2000, p. 57). How is health promoted if patients are 50 miles from the nearest provider and do not have access to public transportation? Or, what if they are migrant farmer workers (H2B) workers and cannot speak English? These are the daily questions that face many residents in the state of Maryland. However, in order to overcome these obstacles, the University of Maryland School of Nursing has collaborated with the state of Maryland to develop and operate a mobile health care outreach program. This innovative, nurse-managed program, The Governor's Wellmobile, a 33-foot long van, promotes and provides health care to many of Maryland's uninsured and underinsured populations by providing "curb-to-curb" service throughout many communities in the state. Currently, there are four Wellmobiles providing health services in Central Maryland, Eastern Shore, and Western Maryland. Each Wellmobile is equipped with two examination rooms, an intake / education area, and a Clia waiver-approved laboratory. These mobile units have been indispensable in the campaign to broaden community efforts to promote health.
This coordinated service delivery is achieved by collaborative efforts of the University of Maryland with local health departments, hospitals, community organizations, local FQHC's, and managed care organizations. Wrap around services, such as diagnostics and specialty services, are secured through community partnerships with a variety of health care providers. This integrated network plays an important role in ensuring that low-income, uninsured individuals have accessible and appropriate access to care.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Access to Health Care, Vulnerable Populations
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.