Martha’s Vineyard Ready To Receive Mobile Health Clinic

MARTHA’S VINYARD –  – The Duffy Health Center Mobile Health Clinic is going for a boat ride. 

The Steamship Authority will ferry it to Martha’s Vineyard today, where it will now be operated by Island Healthcare.

Duffy CEO Heidi Nelson said they no longer needed the mobile services.

“Over the last four years, as the community health centers across the Cape have expanded to be able to serve more people and the services that they offer, it really became less necessary for us to have the mobile health clinic,” she said. 

Island Healthcare CEO Cynthia Mitchell said they are thrilled to acquire the clinic, which will be paid for with federal funding, especially as their volume of patients has outgrown their building’s capacity.  They plan is to situate the mobile clinic next to their current site. 

Nelson points out that they are receiving a full service vehicle with many attributes.  “A fully stocked and equipped exam room.  There’s space for lab and blood draw.  You can swivel the driver and passenger seats, pull a curtain, and do therapy.” 

She adds that when the program started, the homeless made up a significant portion of their clients, but  the Cape’s health centers have stepped up to fill the need.  The Cape has many health centers and clinics, some with multiple locations.