How hospitals are addressing the needs of underserved children

UMass Memorial is bringing care to low-income children through a mobile clinic; Winona Health is showing children that physical activity can be fun; and FirstHealth provides dental services to tens of thousands of kids who need them. Read on to learn more about how hospitals are delving into the community to help children in need, before they must set foot in a hospital.

When the children won’t come to them, they go to the children

UMass Memorial in Worcester, Mass., provides onsite medical and dental services to children, families and individuals in 11 low-income neighborhoods in a mobile clinic called the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile. The mobile clinic also offers preventive dental services at 19 public schools to school-age children grades K-6 who have a high incidence of tooth decay due to lack of fluoridation in the city water supply. The clinic is intended as an entry point into health care for this population. 

Learn more about Care Mobile here. 

Making exercise interesting

Winona Health in Winona, Minn., is working to reduce childhood obesity in a playful environment through its Healthy Kids events. Each event offers a variety of opportunities for children to be active, by participating in activities such as cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, karate, yoga, Zumba and running an obstacle course. 

Learn more about the program here. 

Decades of giving dental care

FirstHealth in Pinehurst, N.C., established three dental care centers in strategically-located areas throughout the system’s service region to provide dental care to underserved youth. Since 1998, more than 28,000 individuals have been served, through approximately 11,000 patient visits annually. 

Learn more about the centers here.