Gundersen Health System, 2025 Community Benefits
Pediatric Mobile Unit Closing Care Gap for Rural Kids
A new clinic on wheels is helping to close the care gap for children in Adams County. The Emplify Health by Gundersen Mobile Pediatric Clinic recently started seeing pediatric patients in Adams-Friendship, Wis. — the first community the new clinic is traveling to that will help improve access for children and youth in rural areas.
“People are busy. It can be a challenge for parents and kids to get routine care, particularly in our rural areas where there are very few providers and long drives between them. People may need to drive over an hour for a physical. We want to close this gap,” said Jennifer Kleven, MD, a pediatrician at Emplify Health by Gundersen, who was part of the steering committee that helped make the mobile clinic a reality.
The need for a mobile clinic became most apparent during the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic. During its earliest days, children over the age of 2 were asked not to come to in-person well-child appointments for safety reasons. At the same time, doctors knew these kids would be missing out on vaccinations and annual well-child visits.
“I think the care gaps we saw during and after the pandemic really drove action on the idea. We knew the fallout from COVID was going to last for years and that we were going to have kids who weren’t caught up on their vaccinations or their wellness care,” Kleven said. “We also know we have a lot of need in our communities in general. We wanted to find a way we could reach kids where they are, rather than having them have to come to the clinic.”
The unit’s flexibility makes it a great asset, as it can provide a variety of services in many different locations. As with care in a traditional primary care clinic, the service will initially be centered around preventative care — focusing on well-child visits and vaccinations.
“We’re really trying to expand access, build trust and drive healthier communities,” said Sarah Rossman, clinical operations director in Ambulatory Services.
Adams County was the first location chosen for the unit because of a shortage of primary care providers at the hospital and clinics, which can make it difficult to be seen. Ultimately, the goal is to bring care to as many children and families as possible. Rossman knows that other cities – along with their local schools and hospitals – could benefit from the Mobile Clinic’s service, and the hope is that by the end of the year, the unit and its staff will care for people from all around Emplify Health by Gundersen’s service area. That care might include a vaccination clinic at a county fair or physicals for upcoming high school sports seasons. Mobility equals flexibility.
“The long-term goal is that this mobile unit is able to touch all of our communities in whatever way is needed,” she said. “If this works out, we will be on the road almost every day.”
“People are busy. It can be a challenge for parents and kids to get routine care, particularly in our rural areas where there are very few providers and long drives between them. People may need to drive over an hour for a physical. We want to close this gap,” said Jennifer Kleven, MD, a pediatrician at Emplify Health by Gundersen, who was part of the steering committee that helped make the mobile clinic a reality.
The need for a mobile clinic became most apparent during the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic. During its earliest days, children over the age of 2 were asked not to come to in-person well-child appointments for safety reasons. At the same time, doctors knew these kids would be missing out on vaccinations and annual well-child visits.
“I think the care gaps we saw during and after the pandemic really drove action on the idea. We knew the fallout from COVID was going to last for years and that we were going to have kids who weren’t caught up on their vaccinations or their wellness care,” Kleven said. “We also know we have a lot of need in our communities in general. We wanted to find a way we could reach kids where they are, rather than having them have to come to the clinic.”
The unit’s flexibility makes it a great asset, as it can provide a variety of services in many different locations. As with care in a traditional primary care clinic, the service will initially be centered around preventative care — focusing on well-child visits and vaccinations.
“We’re really trying to expand access, build trust and drive healthier communities,” said Sarah Rossman, clinical operations director in Ambulatory Services.
Adams County was the first location chosen for the unit because of a shortage of primary care providers at the hospital and clinics, which can make it difficult to be seen. Ultimately, the goal is to bring care to as many children and families as possible. Rossman knows that other cities – along with their local schools and hospitals – could benefit from the Mobile Clinic’s service, and the hope is that by the end of the year, the unit and its staff will care for people from all around Emplify Health by Gundersen’s service area. That care might include a vaccination clinic at a county fair or physicals for upcoming high school sports seasons. Mobility equals flexibility.
“The long-term goal is that this mobile unit is able to touch all of our communities in whatever way is needed,” she said. “If this works out, we will be on the road almost every day.”
