The new van will help fill the gap in access to transportation for residents seeking healthcare services in the South King County area.
The new van will help fill the gap in access to transportation for residents seeking healthcare services in the South King County area.
AUBURN, Wash. (May 31, 2024) – Wellpoint Washington, Inc., formerly Amerigroup Washington, announced it has donated a fully outfitted medical van to International Community Health Services (ICHS) to expand access to healthcare for individuals and families in the South King County area. The van will be used for primary care visits (obstetrics, physicals, blood work, chronic disease management, etc.) which can keep many out of the emergency room and urgent care facilities.
Wellpoint serves as a Medicaid managed care company in Washington, offering health insurance to over 230,000 Washingtonians across the state.
“We cannot leave anyone behind in our movement to create equitable access to quality healthcare. We know that reliable transportation to and from medical appointments is one barrier to continuity of care, particularly in our underserved communities. At Wellpoint, we are committed to supporting ICHS’ essential work to help us close the healthcare disparity gap as it expands its reach in King County,” said Lisa Bogard, President and CEO of Wellpoint Washington.
ICHS is a federally-qualified community health center that provides a full range of primary medical, vision, dental, behavioral health, medication assisted treatment, WIC and nutrition services — from well child check-ups to senior health and wellness programs. Started in 1973, ICHS was created with the mission to provide affordable, culturally- and linguistically-appropriate health and wellness services to anyone in need, and to promote health equity for all. Today, ICHS’ 11 locations serve over 30,000 patients in more than 70 languages in King County.
“We are so pleased to partner with Wellpoint to launch a mobile medical van to meet the needs of our communities," said Kelli Nomura, ICHS CEO. "We know that our patients face barriers in accessing the care they need. Adding a mobile medical van to our already existing mobile dental services allows us to further expand our ability to deliver care directly to our patients and diverse communities we serve.”
The medical van is designed as a mobile doctor's office and will help reduce scheduling and transportation barriers, and can bring a primary care team, led by an ICHS provider, to ensure comprehensive and continuous medical care to patients. ICHS has had extensive experience in mobile outreaches, with its Mobile Dental Clinic bringing dental services to the doorsteps of local schools, and its efforts in providing behavioral health consults, navigator teams, and COVID-19 testing and vaccination services directly to the doorsteps of patients.
The partnership is one of many Wellpoint has fostered across Washington state to engage rural and underserved communities to reach their health goals and close the healthcare disparities gap.
“Their ability to meet clients where they’re at – culturally and in-language – aligns perfectly with our values and mission to improving health outcomes for all Washingtonians. We’re excited to hear how the van serves the community and are thrilled to be an integral part of them doing the great work they do to serve the Auburn area and surrounding communities," said Bogard.
Sen. Claire Wilson, D-Auburn, and Rep. Debra Entenman, D-Kent, joined the ribbon-cutting event.
Photos from the event can be accessed here.
ABOUT WELLPOINT
Wellpoint, part of the Elevance Health family of brands, focuses on improving physical health as well as the behavioral and social drivers that impact it through a comprehensive suite of Medicare, Medicaid, and Commercial products. The Wellpoint companies offer healthcare services for consumers at any stage of life seeking to make the right care decisions and helps individuals and communities make real, positive progress with health plans that foster independence, confidence, and whole-person health. For more information, please visit www.wellpoint.com.
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES
International Community Health Services (ICHS) provides culturally and linguistically appropriate health services in over 70 languages to improve the wellness of King County’s diverse people and communities, regardless of patients’ ability to pay. Since its founding in 1973, ICHS has grown from a single storefront clinic in Seattle’s Chinatown International District with deep roots in the Asian Pacific Islander community, to a regional health care provider employing more than 600 staff and serving over 30,000 patients at 11 service locations. For more information visit https://www.ichs.com/.
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