PETERSBURG, Va. -- In a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Petersburg Public Library, Sentara launched its fourth mobile care unit in the state.
“It really is an opportunity for us to bring care to individuals who otherwise might not get care easily,” Sentara President and CEO Dennis Matheis said.
The large bus is outfitted with two exam rooms and will be able to see patients for Primary Care and Behavioral Health, with Women’s Health services expected later this year.
Additionally, Sentara said it can help put patients in touch with resources to help with issues like food or home insecurity.
“When you look at health in general, about 80 percent of a person’s health is impacted by something other than their genetics. You look at their diet, their living situation, are they working or are they not?” Matheis told CBS 6 News. “There’s a multitude of other things with social determinants of health so we have an opportunity through these clinics to be a convener, to start to look at a broader array of services.”
Sentara is known for hospitals and healthcare providers in Hampton Roads but through its Optima Health plans, it is also the largest managed Medicaid plan in the state.
They said they’ll see patients at their mobile facility in Petersburg each Thursday, regardless of their ability to pay.
Patients can be seen at The Hope Center on Commerce Street in Petersburg Thursdays from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. or at Petersburg Public Library on Thursdays from 2 – 5 p.m.
