Ochsner Lafayette General Mobile Medical Unit
Submitted by:
Ochsner Lafayette General Foundation
The Problem
COVID vaccine hesitancy in rural areas is a major barrier that public health practitioners, and healthcare providers need to address to achieve vaccination equity.
Disparities in COVID vaccination between urban and rural communities can hinder progress toward ending the pandemic. Health practitioners should continue collaborating with government officials, healthcare providers, community based organizations, faith leaders, and local employers to address vaccine hesitancy and ensure equitable vaccine access and distribution, particularly in rural areas. These focused, multi-partner efforts can help increase vaccination coverage and reduce morbidity and mortality from COVID.
A recent NPR analysis found that vaccine hubs, were largely missing from predominantly Black and Hispanic communities. The mobile unit will help solve this problem and allow our teams to continue to support the high vulnerability communities throughout the communities that Ochsner Lafayette General serves.
The Project
We are pleased to share this information regarding Ochsner Lafayette General Mobile Medical Unity. A mobile medical unit is a rolling medical center with full and functional medical equipment that can be moved and settled in a new place swiftly as the situation demands. As mentioned above, Ochsner Lafayette General Mobile Medical Unit seeks to bring healthcare services closer to the people in our surrounding communities throughout Region 4 and our services will be carried out by highly trained professional doctors and nurses.
The Ochsner Lafayette General Mobile Medical Unit goal is to establish a first class medical unit that will move from one location to another to take care of both Medicaid and Medicare with no preference on social economic status or race and genders. We will ensure that there will be no out-of-pocket cost to patients; we will bill the insurance company, not the patient. The Mobile Medical Unit will operate seven days a week. Additionally, we will support the community on weekends when necessary for specific events. We will have a standard medical call center that is manned by trained health workers. Ochsner Lafayette General Mobile Medical Unit will be owned, operated, and managed by Ochsner Lafayette General. A mobile unit will support 21st century healthcare’s population health pathway in meeting the healthcare needs of the medically under-served in the rural area’s that are populated with majority of our elderly and minority families. This type of mobile care has reduced the door to needle time in caring for patients and reduces admissions to the emergency room and admissions to the hospital.
At Ochsner Lafayette General, we are committed to improving the health and well-being of the Acadiana community. Further, we need to continue to invest in technologies and services that keep our community and patients healthy.
We would be humbled to have your support to help us ensure these community healthcare needs are met.
The Price Tag
$1 million