PHOENIX — A morning routine is playing out just before dawn, all to make sure underserved areas across the Valley get the medical care they need.
That’s why the team at Valle Del Sol is hitting the streets by taking their mobile clinic to the patients.
“It brings services to areas that families and individuals might not have the ability to go and get care for themselves,” said nurse practitioner Wendy Aragaki. “Transportation is the biggest issue we see with the patients who come to us.”
The figurative doctor's office on wheels is run by Valle Del Sol, a federally qualified health clinic.
They offer checkups for kids and adults, COVID-19 testing as well the flu, and COVID-19 vaccines.
“Saturday clinics will see a lot of first and second doses but actually recently in the last couple weeks we’ve been doing a lot of the boosters just through here, through the mobile,” said Aragaki.
Demand for the vaccine is now to the point where the mobile clinic carries both Pfizer and Moderna. If folks remain hesitant, nurses like Paulette Rangel are prepared for their questions.
“People still don’t understand how terrible of a disease this is and how awful it is to die from it,” said Rangel back in August.
The former ICU nurse saw the devastation of the pandemic firsthand after working the last year with some of the sickest patients.
She’s now using that knowledge to prevent more needless deaths.
“Tell them my side of the story, and what I see and that it’s not a hoax, people really are getting sick and it’s really easy to prevent that and we do that here at Valle Del Sol by giving vaccines,” said Rangel.
They’ve given out thousands of them all over the Valley thanks to this mobile unit. The mobile team also provides its services to homebound patients as well.
To get in contact with the team about a need for them in your area, email mobilehealth@valledelsol.com or visit their website to book an appointment. Insurance is not required.
