The Clinic will soon be on the move as it rolls out a new, state-of-the-art mobile healthcare unit in an effort to better serve its rural patient population.

The 33-foot unit is a late-model Ford recreation vehicle converted by Mission Mobile Medical of North Carolina. The vehicle, emblazoned with The Clinic’s trademark graphics, features a fully functional examination room and is ADA accessible.

Although this particular mobile unit is new to The Clinic, the practice of serving patients in the field is not. Reaching under-served patient populations is part of The Clinic’s mission.

“In the late 1990’s, The Clinic – then known as Central Oklahoma Family Medical Center – owned two mobile units,” said Brenda Ware, Chief Executive Officer. “These two units were used to provide much-needed services to the most rural areas of Seminole, Pontotoc, and Pottawatomie counties.”

Ware said the two units were retired in 2005 as they had surpassed their life expectancies for safe and reliable operation. Thankfully, the opportunity recently arose to replace those units and restore that valuable service to The Clinic’s patient population.

“We are proud to offer this valuable service once again to our patients,” Ware said. “This is a service that provides critical access for those who are unable to reach our established healthcare locations.”

Mission Mobile Medical, a leading builder of mobile healthcare units, custom designed The Clinic’s vehicle. Anne Nicole Flinn, Chief Development Officer for The Clinic, made the initial trip to North Carolina in February to learn how to drive and operate the unit.

“The ‘Train the Trainer’ course was an excellent experience,” said Flinn. “I learned everything about the operation of the unit and now I can share that knowledge with my co-workers who will be utilizing it in the near future.”

Flinn said she is excited to bring the mobile unit out to communities, schools, and events where patients can take advantage of the ease and convenience it offers. The unit will allow The Clinic to offer many services on location, including vaccine clinics, education seminars, sports physicals, and even provider visits.

“This unit is going to be significant to The Clinic, The Women’s Clinic, and The Kids Clinic,” she said. “It’s going to be a big help with our outreach programs and our dedication to practicing preventive medicine. It’s another means for us to provide high-quality health care to our patients in the most under-served parts of our service area.”

The Clinic @ Central Oklahoma Family Medical Center, or “The Clinic,” is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) meeting a stringent set of requirements, including care services on a sliding-fee scale based on federal poverty guidelines. Governed by a board of directors, including patient directors, The Clinic remains thoroughly invested in the needs of patients and its service areas. The Clinic currently operates in four Oklahoma communities – Konawa, Ada, Stratford, and Seminole. To learn more about The Clinic, The Women’s Clinic and The Kids Clinic, please visit www.cofmc. com.