Marshall County Healthcare Center is taking the next steps in exploring whether a mobile health clinic could help bring healthcare services closer to residents throughout the county.
MCHC recently held community listening sessions in Langford and Eden last week, followed by a third session in Veblen early this week. The meetings are part of a larger research effort funded by a $50,000 Beyond Idea Grant from the South Dakota Community Foundation.
The grant is allowing MCHC to study whether a mobile clinic could provide family practice and other healthcare services in communities farther from Britton. The idea has been discussed for nearly two years, with MCHC staff looking at ways to address transportation, distance and other barriers that can prevent residents from seeking care.
“We asked ourselves if we could have a mobile clinic that goes to Veblen, Langford, and/or Eden, because we serve all of Marshall County,” said MCHC Director of Human Resources Sheila Sutton, who wrote the grant application.
Sutton emphasized that the current process is about gathering information, not committing to purchasing a mobile clinic.
“This is a huge idea,” Sutton told participants at the Langford session. “We are prepared that if the right answer is this won’t work or we’re not ready for it.”
MCHC CEO Nick Fosness said the hospital is looking for creative ways to address the challenges of providing healthcare in a rural area.
“How do we find a creative way to make healthcare available in our rural area?” Fosness said.
Paula Jensen, a community coach with Dakota Resources who was commissioned by MCHC to lead the focus groups, began the Langford session with a question for participants: “Imagine if Marshall County had a mobile health clinic that people relied on. What would it take to make that a reality?”
The discussion focused on what residents need from healthcare, the challenges they currently face in accessing it and what services could be provided through a mobile clinic.
Participants identified several barriers to accessing healthcare, including the cost of travel and gas, waiting for appointments and transportation difficulties for elderly and low income residents. The need for more convenient walk in care also came up during the discussion.
Participants said a mobile clinic could make it easier for people to seek care rather than putting it off. They also saw an opportunity to reach residents who currently do not regularly access healthcare.
Among the services suggested were minor illness care, nursing services, blood draws, preventive care, immunizations and medication pickup. Participants also discussed using a mobile clinic as a central location for health education or telehealth appointments. The possibility of offering dental services was brought up several times.
Having care available close to home was important, but participants also stressed that a mobile clinic would need to be consistent and reliable to be successful.
A predictable schedule, qualified staff, quick answers and the ability to handle walk ins were among the priorities identified. Participants also said ongoing communication with the community would be important in creating awareness and encouraging people to use the service.
The mobile clinic concept grew in part from conversations during the COVID 19 pandemic about how healthcare could be brought to people rather than requiring patients to travel to a healthcare facility, MCHC officials explained.
The listening sessions are intended to help MCHC better understand what each community needs before making a decision about whether to move forward. Jensen will compile information from all three community conversations into a report for MCHC to use as it considers the next steps.
Sutton said the hospital wants to make sure community needs and long term sustainability are considered before making such a significant investment.
The $50,000 grant is funding the research and exploration phase. If MCHC determines that a mobile clinic is feasible and would benefit Marshall County residents, the hospital could seek additional funding to help purchase and develop a mobile unit.
