HOUSTON — Families who don’t have insurance are often forced to put off medical and dental care for their children. For them, Ronald McDonald Care Mobiles can be a Godsend by providing free health care access where children need it most.
The Care Mobiles are state-of-the-art, fully-equipped pediatric clinics on wheels. In Houston, they’re staffed by pediatricians, nurse practitioners, nurses and medical assistants from Texas Children’s Hospitals.
Ronald McDonald Care Mobile® capabilities and pediatric primary care services provided will vary by each community’s needs and may include:
- Primary care, well-child visits and developmental screening
- Immunizations
- Diagnostic, preventive and restorative dental care
- Oral hygiene education
- Asthma treatment and self-management education
- Pulmonary function testing
- Vision, hearing and lead screening
- School and sports physicals
- Prenatal care for pregnant teens
- Childhood health promotion and injury prevention education
- Nutrition counseling
- Pediatric specialty care, such as oncology, cardiology and otolaryngology
- Ophthalmology
- Mental health assessment and referral
- Blood collection
- Social service resource referral
- Health education
- Care for special needs children
Ronald McDonald House Charities also has a Care Mobile for dental needs. The three-room unit, operated by the UTHealth School of Dentistry, provides free oral healthcare to under-served children throughout Houston.
When it comes to delivering health care, the Ronald McDonald Care Mobiles take a holistic approach.
- Prevention: They deliver health education, which reduces overall medical costs, addresses behavior and lifestyle choices and helps motivate families to improve and maintain their health.
- Treatment: They provide services ranging from immunizations and preventive check-ups to dental care and treatment for chronic and acute illnesses.
- Referral: Their staff works with families to help them get access to ongoing care with a primary doctor or dentist.
ALSO POPULAR ON KHOU.COM
