CAMC shows off new Mobile Medical Unit

By Matthew Young, RealWV

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – In a ceremony held at the State Capitol on Wednesday, Gov. Jim Justice – along with officials from Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) and Vandalia Health – celebrated CAMC’s new Mobile Medical Unit. 

Initially put into service last autumn, the Mobile Medical Unit has served at-risk residents throughout West Virginia for an average of three days per week. However, the service-schedule has recently been expanded to five days per week to more closely match the schedules worked by physicians. 

“We see people just like you would in a doctor’s office,” Jessica Bean, CAMC’s Nurse Navigator for the telehealth medical unit, told The RealWV. “If we’re on the road for that particular day, we get up early in the morning and travel to our destination where we already have established appointments.”

According to Bean, appointments proceed much the same as they do in a conventional office-setting. Patients are triaged and have their vitals taken, Bean explained, adding that, “Then we talk about what’s going on with their health, and what they’re expecting from the appointment.”

“Then I take them into the exam room, and we get the doctor, or the tele-doc,” Bean continued. “The patient can see the doctor, and the doctor can see the patient. They can talk just like they would if they were in an actual doctor’s office.”

The Mobile Medical Unit was purchased through COVID-19 Pandemic Relief funding. At a cost of approximately $800,000, the unit stands eight-feet tall, is 36 feet in length, and weighs in at more than 24,000 pounds. 

“The majority of the time, we’re on the road to see our patients,” Bean said. “Right now we’re doing five days a week. We’re doing office hours now because most of our doctors are working office hours. It might expand later. I don’t know what the future holds for this mobile unit, but we want to help as many people as possible.”

“This is just as efficient, if not more efficient, than going to your regular doctor,” Bean added. “Don’t be scared of the tele-health – you’re getting good quality care.”

In its brief time in service, the Mobile Medical Unit has been utilized by both Valley Health Care and Rainelle Medical Center, with return visits already planned. The unit has future stops scheduled in Webster Springs and Rupert, as well. 

Most recently, the Mobile Medical Unit spent two weeks as a temporary office for use by urologists at Greenbrier Valley Medical Center in Fairlea, after flooding left portions of the hospital in need of repair. The unit will be returning to Fairlea in August, when it provides wellness visits and preventative-medicine education to attendees of the State Fair of West Virginia. 

“This is easy when you think about it,” Gov. Justice said, while addressing those gathered for the celebration. “There’s so many folks out there who don’t have medical access like many of us have every day. And they need it, don’t they? And they’re worth it, aren’t they?”

“This gives us that bridge to be able to make all that happen,” Justice added. “Absolutely, we have got to try to help those folks who don’t have the access that all of us have. Thank you guys in every way.”

For more information about CAMC’s Mobile Medical Unit, visit camc.org.