LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Geography can be a problem for Kentuckians needing specialized care. Getting in and out of Lexington hospitals can be difficult.
“It is hard going to a hospital, especially when you’re a child that can be very scary, you don’t know what is going to happen. But this is a little bit more fun, ‘let’s go see the big truck,'” exclaims Dr. Callie Rzasa.
As the Congenital Heart Clinic Medical Director and the Department of Pediatrics Ambulatory Medical Director, taking work from the hospital, to the ‘big truck’ was a natural fit for Rzasa. WKYT spent time with her in Scott County.
“We have a lot of patients that come from this area that come into Lexington,” she says.
When we visited, the mobile clinic was parked next to Georgetown Community Hospital. CEO Cliff Wilson said his team was trying to find a way to expand specialized care with UK, when they found out about the mobile clinic.
“The challenge for many of these families is driving to Lexington, dealing with the traffic, parking, so when they’re able to come somewhere close to home, get in and out very easily it just makes it a lot more efficient for them, especially when you’re talking about pediatric patients,” notes Wilson. “We were looking for a space to be able to do it in an office setting and we ran into some limitations there, but when UK purchased the bus it created a great segue way to get the program started a little bit quicker.”
The Practice Manager for the Mobile Clinic, Majd Jabbour, helped make it happen.
“Our community partners identify the patients that need to be seen by our clinicians. Our clinicians come to them. If it’s a complex case, then that is when we request our patients go and be seen at a larger clinic, whether a hospital or an outpatient facility,” Jabbour says.
The mobile clinic will be at Georgetown Community Hospital once a month. Right now, they’re only seeing cardiology patients, but they hope to expand soon.
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