A small rolling hospital that debuted in Lansing last summer is expanding its reach in 2017.
Sparrow Health Systems and the Ingham County Health Department launched their mobile health clinic in September 2016 to bring basic, free medical care to underserved neighborhoods.
The team aboard the converted bus screens patients for a variety of conditions such as heart disease, high cholesterol and diabetes.
Ted Glynn M.D. is Sparrow's vice-president for medical education and research. He says despite the region's strong health care presence, not everyone can access it.
"In fact, in our pilot study last year, we saw over 130 patients," Glynn says. "About two in 10 did not have any health insurance or meaningful access to care."
The mobile health clinic will visit more sites in the region this year. It's scheduled to visit Edgewood Village Apartments in East Lansing on the 24th and the Baker Donora neighborhood in Lansing on May 31.