Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant will hit the road this fall with a 39-foot motor home that will bring health care and preventative health education to rural Michigan residents. It will also serve as a training ground for future health care professionals.
Funded by a $500,000 grant from The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, the customized motor home includes exam tables and a soundproof booth for hearing tests, will act as an extension of the university’s Carls Center for Clinical Care and Education, which serves more than 8,000 patients each year.
“Mobile Health Central expands the college’s mission of serving and enhancing health care in areas of need in Michigan,” says Christopher D. Ingersoll, dean of The Herbert H. & Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions. “It will be incorporated into our student learning, research, and outreach efforts.”
The cost of services will be in line with pricing at Carls Center, although school officials hope to offer free services through sponsorships and other investments.
The initiative will provide training and collaboration opportunities for students, says Margaret Ann Riecker, former foundation president. “CMU health professions students and faculty will be able to work with local school districts and civic groups to promote healthy lifestyles and research regional health issues,” Riecker says.
The college will make the vehicle available for public viewing and an informational walk-through tour during an open house in September.
