Presbyterian Healthcare Services has tripled its mobile health fleet in New Mexico, launching two new mobile health centers built by Mission Mobile Medical. The expansion takes the health system’s Mobile Health Center program from one vehicle to three. The Albuquerque Journal covered the launch.
The two new units are each about 30 feet long and were refurbished from recreational vehicles over eight months. They are based in Albuquerque and Las Cruces and will also serve central, northern, and southern New Mexico. Presbyterian’s original Albuquerque clinic, which has served the Española area for the past year, will now stay there permanently.
Jess Sanchez-Lujan, who directs Presbyterian’s Health Plan Place and Mobile Health Center programs, described the search that led to the build. “We did a lot of research on mobile medical vehicles and this company kept coming up time and time again,” Sanchez-Lujan told the newspaper, adding that the company had experience with approaching rural healthcare.
Sanchez-Lujan also spoke about building for New Mexico roads. “Their shock suspensions and things of that nature are specially designed for areas like Peñasco in New Mexico, so that if you have to head there through Taos and you’re curving the mountain, we’re in safe hands.”
Each clinic runs Tuesday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is expected to serve 21 patients a day. Services include annual child wellness visits, child immunizations, primary and acute care, and health screening. Each van is staffed by a driver, program coordinator, clinician, registered nurse, and medical assistant.
Heather Thiltgen, president of Presbyterian Health Plan, said the fleet exists to “bring care to communities where distance, transportation or limited local resources can make accessing healthcare services more difficult.” The program is Presbyterian’s. The units are ours to build, and we are glad they are on the road.
