Photo courtesy of KentuckyCare

Transforming healthcare access in underserved communities 

 

Mobile healthcare is making a difference in Western Kentucky, where staff from KentuckyCare are using their new mobile health van to host free, on-site health clinics in communities that have historically had difficulty accessing medical services.  

A total of 180 patients attended four recent clinics that offered primary care services such as blood pressure readings and education on diabetes management. One patient, age 36, left the clinic with a high blood pressure diagnosis—a condition he never knew he had because he doesn’t have access to a primary care physician. Now, doctors can intervene with treatments that can lead to a better quality of life.  

BBF donated the mobile health unit to KentuckyCare in September 2023 to support the organization’s initiatives to make high-quality healthcare more accessible to communities that have struggled from natural disasters or have limited resources.  

Since receiving the donation, the organization has used the van to host clinics in parking lots of community kitchens and schools. In October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, healthcare providers are planning to use the mobile health van to host a mammogram outreach event.