LEXINGTON, Ky (LEX 18) — A new mobile medical clinic is making its way around Lexington this summer, offering free physicals, vaccines, and sick visits to families. This is the first year of the mobile clinic, which hopes to expand access to health care for Lexington students.
“This is a game-changer for students and our families,” said Debbie Boian, the school health coordinator for Fayette County Public Schools. “UnitedHealthcare stepped up to the plate. They partnered with HealthFirst Bluegrass, and an idea that was too good to be true was born.”
HealthFirst Bluegrass already has clinics in 10 FCPS schools, but the mobile clinic makes this free healthcare option more visible to the community.
“I am ecstatic to see this,” Boian said. “This gives families a chance to get in, get seen.”
“We love the fact that it’s visible going on in the community here,” said Krista Hensel, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Kentucky. “I am a mom, and I know how hard it is to get your kid in to be seen, so the beauty of this bringing the care to folks closer to their home is really important.”
“It just really impacts children and the trajectory of their future being able to get healthcare early on,” said Britney Anderson, the director of HealthFirst Bluegrass’ school-based program.
According to America’s Health Rankings, Kentucky ranks 12th in the nation in making sure our kids have had a checkup in the last 12 months. But the data also shows about 20% of kids haven’t seen a doctor in at least a year.
This new mobile clinic program has the potential to help lower that number by bringing health care to different communities around the city.
“Having that accessibility inevitably makes an impact on them,” Anderson said. “Some people may have transportation barriers, they may have other financial barriers, and knowing that they can just walk through their neighborhood and get the care really makes an impact.”
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“I think it just goes to show that when we work together as a community across the school district, across care providers, across the insurance company, you can really pull off some amazing things,” Hensel said.
The mobile medical clinic takes appointments and walk-ins each day from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The clinic will continue to make its way around Lexington this summer through July 27. To make an appointment, call (859) 288-2425 and request the mobile clinic.
Those interested can register in a number of ways through FCPS.net
You can also check out the full summer schedule here.
