MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, based in Memphis, launched a new mobile health unit meant to serve rural communities, UT leaders said on Tuesday.
In a release, they said the new mobile health unit would start serving Lake County and Lauderdale County — both mostly rural areas located in West Tennessee.
"In rural counties in Tennessee, the demand for quality health care is far exceeding the available supply. That’s where UTHSC’s Nursing Mobile Health unit comes in," the release said.
The Nursing Mobile Health unit was paid for through a $3.9 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration. In the release, UT leaders said it's expected to immediately make a difference in the two counties since they are both considered medically underserved.
They said 91 out of Tennessee's 95 counties are designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas by federal leaders, and the state has fewer than 14 nurses for every 1,000 people. The release also said around 34 counties in Tennessee are considered "maternity care deserts," which lake obstetric care or birthing centers.
According to the Tennessee Hospital Association, the state is "described as medically underserved."
The Nursing Mobile Health Unit is staffed and operated by UT's College of Nursing and will let the college include rural health education in its undergraduate and graduate programs.
The unit has a check-in area, an exam room and a capacity for telemedicine services, with computer stations and clinical assessment equipment. It will provide primary care, mental health care, chronic disease management, prenatal care and HIV care.
