In parts of Virginia, there’s no medical care facility for miles. And if there are any, too often, people can’t afford to go. For decades, the “Wise Health Wagon” has traveled Virginia's Appalachian Mountains, treating patients free of charge.
The project captured the attention of the nation years ago, for its extraordinary outreach efforts. Now, thanks to a new partnership, it’s getting an infusion of its own.
“This is the most valuable mobile medical clinic in all of America.” That’s U.S. Senator Mark Warner in Wise, Virginia, to celebrate a 1-Million dollar, 3-year grant to the Wise Health Wagon from the United Health Foundation. The Foundation is the non-profit arm of United Health Care, which sells health insurance to around a-million people in Virginia. Tracy Malone is foundation president. She says, the funding is meant to help with a higher level of care that the Health Wagon has long wanted to include in its travels, “…expanding their capacity to (include) cancer diagnostic testing and new specialty care offerings that would expand the care that they’re already providing and really get at that early detection, and prevention as well, which is so important to improving patient outcomes.”
The UHF grant means, for the first time, the Wise Health Wagon can provide mammography, ultrasound, X-ray and dental services, in four mobile units – those famous health wagons— or one of two stationery clinics.
(Sound of the ticking “60 Minutes” clock) The Health Wagon has been featured more than once on the news magazine, “60 Minutes. “This is the smallest doctor’s office I’ve ever seen!” Says correspondent, Scott Pelli, climbing aboard the Health Wagon, a Winnebago-like vehicle that contains the mobile clinic.
It’s been almost 40 years now since Catholic Nun Bernadette Kenny founded the Health Wagon program. Family Nurse Practitioner Teresa Tyson has been its director for the past 26 years. “There’s not a day that goes by” she says, “that a life is not saved or forever changed here at the clinic by the wonderful services that are offered.” But too often, there are too many that could not be saved. “Most of our patients do not have any health insurance. A lot more are under insured. They may have high co-pays and deductibles. We certainly feel that it ( health care and health insurance) should be an inalienable right to all citizens.”
The Wise Health Wagon treated nearly 5-thousand underserved patients last year alone, at a cost of close to 6 million dollars. Health attorney at the Southern Poverty Law Center, Jill Hanken, says the Health Wagon is an incredibly import part of the health care system in Southwestern Virginia, "...and I salute all the work they’ve done over the years. They are also an important provider for the population of very low-income adults who have recently become eligible for Medicaid through the expansion adopted by the Virginia General Assembly. That will allow the Health Wagon and other providers throughout Virginia to get reimbursed for services that they might otherwise have provided as charitable services.”
But it doesn’t fill in all the gaps; another important piece of the United Health Foundations grant is aimed at helping Wise Health Wagon patients navigate the next steps in their care, an important aspect of health care services, putting people on the road to better health.
