Columbus, OH,
22
February
2017
|
14:00 PM
Europe/Amsterdam

Columbus Dispatch: New OhioHealth primary-care coach adds to fleet of portable clinics in central Ohio

In January, OhioHealth began offering primary care services in the Hilltop neighborhood in an innovative way – by bringing physicians right into the community via a clinic on wheels. The 54-foot Wellness on Wheels mobile unit can see any adult patient for a comprehensive set of primary care services including:

  • Annual physicals and wellness examinations
  • Preventive health, including screenings and immunizations
  • Management of chronic health conditions (including diabetes, high blood pressure and others)
  • Evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of medical concerns

Recently, Columbus Dispatch medical reporter JoAnne Viviano made a visit to the unit to observe it in action. Her story may be viewed by clicking on the Dispatch logo.

This neighborhood was identified as an area of need for this pilot program due to a lack of primary care physicians; an overuse of emergency departments for lower-acuity visits; and because there is a trusted partner in the YMCA, which community members are already using for other services.

This program was made possible thanks to a nearly $1-million grant from Huntington Bank. In addition to providing medical care on the mobile medical clinic, OhioHealth will be investing in excess of $500,000 into the community for this pilot program.

Last year, OhioHealth provided $278.7 million in charity care and other community benefit programs through initiatives like the Wellness on Wheels.

In addition to ongoing community benefit programs, OhioHealth has committed to investing $7.3 million over the next five years in community-based health and wellness programs including prenatal care and women’s health services; health literacy; primary care; substance abuse prevention and treatment services.