HENRY COUNTY, Ga. — Care from an actual doctor for thousands of people will be available thanks to a new mobile healthcare clinic launched last week.
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Channel 2’s Lori Wilson traveled to McDonough, Ga. in Henry County to see how this will make a difference for families.
Henry County government, Hands of Hope Clinic and Piedmont Henry teamed up for what they call a game changer in healthcare.
This mobile health clinic provides screenings, chronic disease management, prescription management, dental care and primary care for thousands of Henry County residents for free.
Henry County fire chief, Pat Wilson, says his teams answered more than 40,000 calls last year.
“Our team’s gonna respond and we’re probably gonna get you to the hospital,” he said “And you may not need the hospital.”
The inside of the mobile clinic has a sink and two patient rooms. There’s a team of volunteer doctors who will see patients and make sure whatever they need, they get.
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“People who don’t have the ability to afford private health insurance, people who don’t qualify for Medicaid, Medicare VA benefits,” said Amanda Reeves, director of communication resources division of Henry County’s government. “Those are the people we want to reach with this mobile health clinic.”
Katie Lunsford, director of inpatient services at Piedmont Henry and board chair of Hands of Hope, says the clinic should help prevent emergency room visits, especially for those managing chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, kidney disease and obesity.
“This will give them that opportunity to get that primary care, start things early, and never have to be in emergency,” Lunsford said.
Piedmont Henry has the 5th busiest emergency department in the in state, so leaders hope this clinic will make the county safer.
“Anytime we can have a unit like this...we reduce call volumes and that means we’re more available for those high acuity calls,” said Lunsdord.
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