The Scope and Impact of Mobile Health Clinics in the United States: A Literature Review

Yu SWY, Hill C, Ricks ML, Bennet J, Oriol NE
Source: Int J Equity Health
Publication Year: 2017
Patient Need Addressed: Chronic Conditions
Population Focus: Vulnerable/disadvantaged
Intervention Type: Best practices
Study Design: Review
Type of Literature: White
link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28982362
Abstract

As the U.S. healthcare system transforms its care delivery model to increase healthcare accessibility and improve health outcomes, it is undergoing changes in the context of ever-increasing chronic disease burdens and healthcare costs. Many illnesses disproportionately affect certain populations, due to disparities in healthcare access and social determinants of health. These disparities represent a key area to target in order to better our nation’s overall health and decrease healthcare expenditures. It is thus imperative for policymakers and health professionals to develop innovative interventions that sustainably manage chronic diseases, promote preventative health, and improve outcomes among communities disenfranchised from traditional healthcare as well as among the general population. This article examines the available literature on Mobile Health Clinics (MHCs) and the role that they currently play in the U.S. healthcare system. Based on a search in the PubMed database and data from the online collaborative research network of mobile clinics MobileHealthMap.org , the authors evaluated 51 articles with evidence on the strengths and weaknesses of the mobile health sector in the United States. Current literature supports that MHCs are successful in reaching vulnerable populations, by delivering services directly at the curbside in communities of need and flexibly adapting their services based on the changing needs of the target community. As a link between clinical and community settings, MHCs address both medical and social determinants of health, tackling health issues on a community-wide level. Furthermore, evidence suggest that MHCs produce significant cost savings and represent a cost-effective care delivery model that improves health outcomes in underserved groups. Even though MHCs can fulfill many goals and mandates in alignment with our national priorities and have the potential to help combat some of the largest healthcare challenges of this era, there are limitations and challenges to this healthcare delivery model that must be addressed and overcome before they can be more broadly integrated into our healthcare system.

Insights Results

Overview of article

  • Mobile Health Clinics (MHCs) are an innovative model of healthcare delivery that could help alleviate health disparities in vulnerable populations and individuals with chronic diseases. Indeed, some studies have concluded that MHCs are particularly impactful in the following contexts: offering urgent care, providing preventative health screenings, and initiating chronic disease managements. By opening their doors directly into communities and leveraging existing community assets, MHCs can offer tailored, high-impact and affordable healthcare that responds dynamically to the community’s evolving needs. This article examines the available literature on MHCs and the role that they currently play in the U.S. healthcare system

Methods of article

  • This article examines the available literature on Mobile Health Clinics (MHCs) and the role that they currently play in the U.S. healthcare system. Based on a search in the PubMed database and data from the online collaborative research network of mobile clinics MobileHealthMap.org , the authors evaluated 51 articles with evidence on the strengths and weaknesses of the mobile health sector in the United States

Results

  • According to data collected through Mobile Health Map, 52.2% of clients seen by MHCs nation-wide identify as non-White and 40% identify as Hispanic
  • Many mobile clinics incorporate several recommendations from the Institute of Medicine’s Committee on Understanding and Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in healthcare, including 1) Community health workers; 2) Patient-centered care focusing on patient education and empowerment; 3) Cultural competence training for staff; 4) Stability and consistency of service provision within communities; and 5) Staff diversity
  • MHCs create visibility and accessibility that eliminate many logistical barriers to traditional forms of healthcare, such as transportation issues, difficulties making appointments, and long waiting times and complex administrative processes. This accessibility and visibility encourage vulnerable populations to receive the necessary health services
  • MHCs can promote trusting relationships between providers and patients as a result of the informal and community-based settings. The community setting in familiar neighborhood areas blend the social and healthcare space, which makes the experience less intimidating. This fosters a more trusting relationship between providers and their patients
  • MHCs are shown to be effective in reaching high-risk or stigmatized populations, such as the homeless and individuals with multiple risk factors for diseases, and are able to attract different sectors of society to engage in screenings for various illnesses. A study comparing a MHC in Baltimore with a comparable traditional clinic found that the percent age of clients who agreed to undergo IV screening was higher at the MHC, and that the percent age of HIV tests that turned out positive was also higher at the MHC, indicating that MHCs facilitate more HIV screenings and are more efficient at reaching high-risk populations
  • Continuous research must be carried out to address the limitations and improve the capacity of MHCs, increase the cost-effectiveness of MHCs’ services, and mine both qualitative and quantitative data to champion a more widespread integration of MHCs into different health structures in order to combat some of the largest healthcare challenges of this era
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