Draper — Optum Care Network Utah, a part of the information and technology-enabled health services business Optum, is making it easier for patients to receive preventive and wellness care with the launch of its new Optum Mobile Clinic. The mobile clinic helps reduce common barriers to health care, such as scheduling challenges, lack of transportation and work obligations, which often put preventive and wellness checkups out of reach. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Covid also caused an estimated 41 percent of US adults to delay or avoid care.
“We saw the challenges many Utahns had with making their health and wellness appointments, not to mention those of their parents or grandparents,” says Shelly Martin, president, Optum Care Network Utah. “The Optum Mobile Clinic makes access to quality preventive and wellness care easier by bringing it right to people – close to their homes and workplaces.”
With one-third of all deaths in the country attributed to chronic illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, or cancer, annual wellness visits, and screenings play an important role in preventive care, early diagnosis, and proper care, which can increase the quality of life and longevity. UnitedHealth Group, Optum’s parent company, recently announced in its Sustainability Report that the company is committed to increasing the percentage of members receiving preventive care services annually to 85 percent by 2030.
The mobile clinic provides a range of adult health and wellness services, including diagnostics for chronic illnesses such as breast cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, as well as other common screenings such as bone density. At 45-feet-long, the mobile clinic has two separate and private exam rooms, a radiology lab, and a modern and welcoming check-in lobby.
The mobile clinic is staffed by two licensed nurse practitioners, two medical assistants, and a radiology technician. All are readily available in one place, reducing travel and wait times for patients. In addition, care visits are scheduled in one-hour blocks – with no overlapping appointments – offering dedicated time to meet a patient’s needs and concerns. At the conclusion of each visit, a takeaway wellness summary is provided to better assist patients and their physicians with decisions and care.
The clinic serves 10 counties including Box Elder, Cache, Davis, Morgan, Salt Lake, Summit, Tooele, Utah, Wasatch, and Weber. Each week, the mobile clinic travels to network physician offices, community and senior centers, local shopping malls, and public events with partnering organizations like Salt Lake County Aging and Adult Services.
“We are excited for this new service because it’s going to benefit older adults and people who are low-income,” says Paul Leggett, division director for Salt Lake County Aging & Adult Services.
The mobile clinic is available to Medicare Advantage patients who choose a provider in the Optum Care Network.
Optum Care Network Utah is a group of doctors, advanced care providers, specialists, and hospitals that work together to provide Medicare-eligible patients with personalized and collaborative medical care. In addition, Optum operates two primary care facilities— one focused on aging adults — two community centers, and a mobile clinic.
Optum Care Network Utah is available to people enrolled in UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans located within the covered service area. People can contact their health plan to find out if Optum providers participate in their current health plan’s network.
Visit optumcare.com/mobileclinic to learn more about the Optum Mobile Clinic and available screenings. To schedule an appointment, Optum members can call 1-800-638-5841, TTY 711.
About Optum
Optum is a leading information and technology-enabled health services business dedicated to helping make the health system work better for everyone. With more than 190,000 people worldwide, Optum delivers intelligent, integrated solutions that help to modernize the health system and improve overall population health. Optum is part of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH). For more information, visit www.optum.com.