Powered by Philanthropy: The Anschutz Foundation Funds New Mobile Health Center
December 1, 2020
Update as of March 30, 2021: Since the Mobile Health Center began operations in late November, the clinic has provided 1,554 COVID-19 tests and has vaccinated 5,301 people in low-resource communities. The clinic offered COVID-19 tests through early February and has now transitioned to providing vaccinations full time, which will continue to be the focus as long as there is need. These vaccination events seek to remove the burden of complex paperwork and digital literacy that can be challenging for so many of our older community members. By bringing the clinic to neighborhoods, the mobile clinic administered shots to many seniors who had been trying for weeks to sign up through other means. Notably, two 80-year-old nuns utilized the clinic for their shots, and one 99-year-old World War II veteran eagerly received the vaccine so that he could visit his grandchildren again.
The Anschutz Foundation’s recent gift to the Denver Health Foundation will revolutionize the way Denver Health delivers health care outside of the traditional clinical setting.
As an extension of Denver Health’s community clinics, the Mobile Health Center will be utilized for COVID-19 testing as its first priority. Teams will take the Mobile Health Center directly to high-health-risk neighborhoods and provide high-quality care to people who otherwise might not have access to it. Many of these communities have been, and continue to be, hardest hit by COVID-19.
“Our hope is that these efforts will immediately help reduce the rates of COVID-19 cases through increased access to testing, education, and supportive resources. The Mobile Health Center is yet another example of Denver Health fulfilling its role as an Anchor Institution by committing our resources to improve the well-being of the communities we serve,” said Dr. Robin Wittenstein, CEO of Denver Health.
The plan is to transition the Center from COVID-19 testing efforts to expanded primary care services, such as chronic disease screening and education, as well as connections to preventative, specialty, and ongoing care. A primary focus will be to deliver this care to persons experiencing homelessness, individuals recently released from incarceration, and those living in poverty.
“We are grateful to The Anschutz Foundation for their generous grant to bring the Mobile Health Center to fruition. This Center eliminates barriers to health care access, which is critical if we are going to truly improve lives,” said Linda Ford, Executive Director of the Denver Health Foundation.