GARRETT — St. Martin’s Healthcare is expanding its services through the creation and utilization of a mobile health care clinic, now in the beginning stages of development through a generous gift from Steel Dynamics Inc.
Transportation is one of the biggest barriers local non-profits have been struggling with in recent years. St. Martin’s Healthcare recognized that 80% of cancellations or missed appointments within the past two years correlated to the lack of access to reliable transportation or lack of finances to maintain the vehicle.
Appointment times are scheduled by patients with the intention of a time that is suitable for the patient. Missed appointments cause a lapse in care or patients running out of prescribed medications, while also taking the availability away from someone else in need of health care services, according to St. Martin’s Executive Director Tammy Stafford.
With increasing patient visits, the clinic also noticed that the need for health care services were apparent in LaGrange and Steuben counties as well. With these counties being farther away from the clinic, a need for transportation aid increased immensely. Research revealed that 47% of patients who sought care at St. Martin’s Healthcare were driving 26-to-94 miles round trip for care.
With a growing importance for a clinic to be within the communities served, multiple brick-and-mortar sites would not be a cost-effective solution. Thus the idea of a Mobile Health Clinic was born.
“St. Martin’s Healthcare has a clear mission to provide health care to improve the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual well-being of the community,” Stafford said. “The mobile clinic provides a way to increase the access to health care for more individuals and families who are uninsured or under-insured.”
The conversion of a 37-foot RV unit by Mission Mobile Medical in Greensboro, North Carolina is projected to be completed and delivered by April 2023.
The renovated unit will include two exam rooms — one on each end — with storage and space for practitioners to provide care. Satellite capabilities are planned in order to avoid interruption and promote efficiency while accessing electronic health records. Chair units that will double as an exam table or dental chair will be utilized. The center of the unit will house refrigeration for medications, lab testing, a bathroom, more storage for supplies and a reception area for patient intake and waiting.
Initial services planned will be similar to that of the stationary clinic: lab testing, access to electronic health records, mental health integration, specialized referrals and medication assistance. Provisions during construction will prepare the unit for the addition of dental services in the future.
“The first year is going to be a huge learning curve as St. Martin’s Healthcare focuses on meeting the need in each community as well as determining easily accessible locations for patients,” Stafford said. “We want to have a schedule that communities and patients can depend on.”
She stressed the mobile clinic is not meant to replace the location at 1350 S. Randolph St. in Garrett, but is designed to enhance and add access to care in outlying communities.
The clinic’s goal is to raise $560,000 from grants and community-wide support to fund the purchase of a mobile clinic unit, initial medical equipment, a diagnostic lab set-up, program implementation as well as dental equipment for future plans to offer mobile dental services .
There are several ways the community is able to support the mobile clinic program. Donations and pledges may be made by mail or in person at St. Martin’s Healthcare, 1359 S. Randolph St., Garrett, IN 46738. You may also choose a secure online gift through their website, smhcin.org.
St. Martin’s Healthcare welcomes the opportunity to speak at churches, clubs and events. People can contact Marissalee at 357-0077 to schedule a speaker.
St. Martin’s Healthcare is a free clinic that has served the uninsured for 17 years, opening in October 2005. Since that time, the clinic has expanded programs to include vision and mental health counseling in addition to primary medical and dental care supported by volunteer health care providers. and staff.
The clinic is open 35 hours a week and now serves DeKalb, Noble, Steuben and LaGrange counties. Those who find themselves under-insured with high deductibles and co-pays may also be eligible for care. Appointments can be made by calling 357-0077, and same day appointments are available.
St. Martin’s Healthcare receives no federal or state dollars and is funded solely by grants, foundations, donations from individuals, businesses, churches and civic organizations, two annual fundraisers — a tea held in February and golf benefit in August — and proceeds from the Curiosity Shop.
Founded nearly 30 years ago, today Steel Dynamics is one of the largest and most diversified domestic steel producers and metal recyclers in the country, with facilities located throughout the United States and in Mexico. Steel Dynamics’ sheet steel products are produced by the company’s Flat Roll Group.
Now comprising five locations, the original facility is in Butler. With a combined flat roll steel shipping capacity of approximately 8.4 million tons per year, including its numerous value-added coating lines, the SDI Flat Roll Group offers one of the broadest lines of flat rolled products available in the industry. The carbon steel sheets are produced in widths as narrow as 38 inches to 76 inches, and in thicknesses ranging from 3/4-inch down to 0.010 inches.
“The confidence our company’s founders originally placed in the employees at the Butler Division, now 1,000 strong, drives the team to regularly exceed expectations,” company officials said. “They continue to break records while always looking for new ways to innovate how to do a job more safely, with higher quality and with a lower carbon footprint. The same spirit is present amongst the 11,000 dedicated employees across SDI.”
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