New community mobile health vehicle hits the road

Wilmington, Del. (March 10, 2020) — Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware, in partnership with the Lieutenant Governor's Challenge, Saint Francis Healthcare, and University of Delaware, is excited to launch their Community Mobile Healthcare & Wellness program that will serve Delaware communities and provide access to quality care.

"Supporting this initiative is in perfect alignment with Highmark's commitment to improving health care quality and outcomes, and increasing access to care for all Delawareans," said Nick Moriello, President of Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware. "We have tremendous partners in the Lieutenant Governor's Office, UD and Saint Francis, and look forward to continued collaboration to meet the needs of our community."

Through a grant of over $424,000 from Highmark Delaware and the use of the Saint Francis Saint Clare Medical outreach vehicle, this program will offer services like preventative screenings, immunizations for adults and children, physical exams, blood pressure check, lab tests, and referrals to community based organizations, on a weekly basis.

"Saint Francis is pleased to be a partner in the Community Mobile Healthcare & Wellness program to continue to provide care for those in need in our Wilmington community and beyond," said Daniel J. Sinnott, President and CEO, Saint Francis Healthcare. "The Saint Clare van is known for its safe, high-quality, community-based care and we look forward to this new partnership so that we can further promote health and wellness to the populations who need our care."

It will visit geographic areas in Wilmington that have histories of poor health outcomes, and will provide health and wellness outreach, including behavioral health screenings and education, which encourages organizations and communities to work toward a healthier Delaware.

"I am so excited to launch the Community Mobile Health Van. This provides us with a unique opportunity to promote the core values of the Lt. Governor's Challenge including physical and emotional wellness. Providing Delawareans access to quality preventive care in our neighborhoods, schools and worksites is critical for a stronger and healthier Delaware." said Lt. Governor Hall-Long. "Thanks to the partnership with Highmark, St. Francis, and University of Delaware, we are able to continue our commitment to serving and meeting the needs of our communities."

Additionally, the program will provide students at the University of Delaware, and other Delaware educational institutions, opportunities for hands-on experience in care coordination and population health, during which they will also be able to collect data for research and evaluation.

"Students will be able to build empathy and gain a better understanding of how inequitable social conditions such as food insecurity and housing instability can impact people's health. Working and learning together will anchor an inter-professional experience, while participants are actively engaged in education and outreach initiatives," said Rita Landgraf, Director — UD Partnership for Healthy Communities and Professor of Practice and Distinguished Health & Social Services Administrator in Residence.

The partner organizations hosted a press event and tours of the van on Monday, March 9, at 11:30 a.m. at the Community Education Building in Wilmington, one of the program’s regular locations during the week.

The locations and schedule for the mobile health unit and this program, subject to change, are as follows:

The unit will arrive at 9:00 a.m. each Thursday:

The unit will arrive at 1:00 p.m. each Tuesday: