The Health Wagon is our Member Spotlight for the Month of April, 2016
"We feel it has been a wonderful networking opportunity to have support of the Dickenson County Chamber of Commerce, which allows sharing of innovative resources and visions for future of business development."
About The Health Wagon
The Health Wagon is a nonprofit organization providing mobile health services to the medically underserved in Southwest Virginia since 1980.
The Health Wagon visits eleven sites in Virginia’s Buchanan, Dickenson, Russell, Lee, Scott, and Wise counties (and the City of Norton) to serve a severely medically underserved population.
The Health Wagon’s staff consists of two Doctors of Nursing Practice, a Family Nurse Practitioner, two Registered Nurses, three Licensed Practical Nurses, an Outreach Coordinator, a Director of Operations, an Administrative Assistant, a Director of Development, a Data Systems Coordinator, and a Receptionist.
Every dollar donated to the Health Wagon is approximately $100 reaped in health care benefits.
In 2013, the Health Wagon assisted more than 11,000 patients obtain access to care valued at over $1 million.
The Health Wagon provides:
◦Acute Disease Management (Colds, Sore Throats)
◦Chronic Disease Management
◦(Hypertension, Diabetes, Dyslipidemia)
◦Low Cost Lab Services
◦Medication Assistance and Pharmacy Connect
◦State of the Art Telemedicine capabilities with University of Virginia Health System with Specialists
◦Physical Assessments
◦Immunization Programs
◦Health Teaching Components
◦Referrals and Follow-up Systems
◦Cardiac Specialty Clinics
◦Nephrology Specialty Clinics with renal ultrasound
◦Lung Cancer Early Detection Program with pulmonology consultation and chest x-ray
◦Women’s Health – Pap Smears and Mammogram Assistance
◦Community Health Fairs
◦Cardiovascular Disease Outreach Screening Programs
◦Remote Area Medical (RAM) Health Expedition
◦Loan Closet for Medical Supplies
◦Dental Clinics
◦Eye Clinics
◦And more…
Through partnership with many pharmaceutical companies, the Virginia Health Care Foundation and Mountain Empire Older Citizens Agency, the Health Wagon’s Pharmacy Connect Program provided $1.2 million in pharmacy assistance to patients in 2013.
The Health Wagon utilizes an advanced computer system and broadband telecommunications linkage to provide clinical, educational, and other specialty services to patients via telemedicine technologies. As a partnership with the University of Virginia Health System, the network is capable of rapidly transferring patient records and medical images – such as x-rays, CT and MRI scans, ultrasound recordings, and more.
Components of the Health Care Outreach
Nearly one million residents of Virginia lack health insurance.
The poverty rate among the population served by the Health Wagon is 70% to 140% higher than in the rest of Virginia. ◦43.4% live on incomes less than 200% of the federal poverty rate, compared with 27.1% statewide.
◦49.3% of those over the age of 25 do not have a high school diploma, compared with 24.8% statewide.
◦Chronic unemployment rates are five times higher than the statewide average.
Adults in the Health Wagon coverage area age 35-64 die 30% earlier than the same population in the rest of Virginia.
Additionally, as compared with the rest of Virginia: ◦Health Wagon clients are 21% more likely to die from diseases of the heart.
◦Health Wagon clients are 14% more likely to die from diabetes.
◦Health Wagon clients are 35% more likely to die from COPD.
◦Health Wagon clients are 40% more likely to die from unintentional injuries.
◦Health Wagon clients are 50% more likely to die from suicide.
The Health Wagon has really been a blessing to people all over Southwest Virginia.
The Health Wagon has our logo T- shirts for sale. $20 for short sleeve and $22 for long sleeve. booster.com/thehealthwagon
Contact Information:
The Health Wagon
276-328-8850
5626 Patriot Dr • Wise, VA 24293
PO Box 7070 • Wise, VA 24293
The Health Wagon is an equal opportunity employer.
Here is a link to the Health Wagon’s TV Show with 60 Minutes that aired a while back:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/60-minutes-overtime-on-the-road-with-the-health-wagon/
