BY KARISSA MILLER
Iredell County Health Department officials are one step closer to providing health care services, COVID-19 response and basic dental services via a mobile health unit.
Health Director Jane Hinson was beyond excited Tuesday night when the Iredell County Board of Commissioners approved the purchase of a mobile health unit after the decision was tabled in 2021.
“Our staff is excited about the opportunity to take services out in the community,” she said during the pre-agenda briefing.
Commissioners approved the Health Department’s request to waive the competitive bidding process for the purchase of the mobile unit from Matthews Specialty Vehicles. The vehicle will be paid for with $799,262 in COVID-19 grant funding.
The Health Department will utilize $130,628 from Medicaid Maximization funding to purchase equipment for the mobile health unit and cover the cost of the title, tags, insurance, fuel and a storage carport. The total cost is $930,342.
“Mobile health units aren’t new in public health. They will just be new in Iredell County,” Hinson said. “Our goal … is to be in the community at least two day a week.”
Hinson said that the mobile health unit, which will launch around May 2024, will allow the Health Department to serve underserved populations and individuals who are vulnerable and enable the department to serve populations where a health crisis might exist.
The mobile clinic will be staffed with medical professionals who can provide COVID-19 testing, disease screenings, family planning services, immunizations, Women Infant Children programs, dental care and more.
The driver must have a CDL license to be able to drive the unit. The Health Department will contract for drivers, Hinson said.
The mobile unit’s features include three expansion slide outs, a reception area, two private examination rooms, a patient interview room, a lab and workroom, and extra travel seating for staff and awnings that will come out on both sides.
The vehicle is handicap accessible with a wheel chair lift.
Hinson said that the mobile health unit will generate some revenue, but also provide many free community services, including:
• Community Education;
• Free blood pressure checks;
• Free COVID-19 test kits;
• Free state supplied adult vaccines;
• Free state supplied children’s vaccines;
• Women, Infant & Children’s program;
• Free Syphilis Screenings; and
• Express Sexually Transmitted Disease Screening