UTC rolls out MobileMOC health clinic

Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging Commissioner Brad Turner, left, Dr. Kristi Wick, Dr. Chris Smith and Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Ralph Alvarado at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for MobileMOC on Tuesday, March 25, at the Rhea County Welcome Center in Dayton, Tennessee. Photo by Angela Foster.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Tuesday, March 25, to mark the official launch of MobileMOC—the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga School of Nursing’s new mobile outreach health clinic designed to expand health care access for older adults and caregivers in rural Southeast Tennessee.

The launch event, which took place at the Rhea County Welcome Center in Dayton, included representatives from the Tennessee Department of Health, the Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging, regional mayors, health care leaders and UTC faculty and staff.

MobileMOC, a large custom-built vehicle equipped for mobile health delivery, was funded through a $2.6 million grant from the Tennessee Department of Health as part of its Healthcare Resiliency Program. The clinic is the cornerstone of a grant-funded initiative titled ROAD MAP (Rural Health and Older ADult Interprofessional Mobile HeAlth Program).

The ceremony featured remarks from Dr. Kristi Wick, UC Foundation assistant professor and Vicky B. Gregg Chair in Gerontology; Dr. Chris Smith, UTC School of Nursing director and chief health affairs officer; Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Ralph Alvarado; and Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging Commissioner Brad Turner.

“This mobile outreach clinic is not just a vehicle—it’s a vessel for delivering meaningful, community-focused care throughout rural Southeast Tennessee,” said Wick, co-principal investigator of the MobileMOC initiative along with UTC Vice Provost Shewanee Howard-Baptiste.

Wick explained to the audience that MobileMOC was born from an interprofessional vision: faculty, students and practitioners from across health disciplines working side-by-side to improve health outcomes while building a stronger rural health care workforce.

“This program is uniquely focused on serving older adults and caregivers living in rural Tennessee. We’re using an interprofessional team to provide care in the communities where older adults work, live and play. Our strategic partnership with the Southeast Tennessee Area Agency on Aging and Disability is critical to our success. As you all know, they’re the primary provider of home and community-based services for many older adults in our 10-county region. We’re profoundly grateful for their commitment and for their help in serving people well.”

MobileMOC will function as both a patient care hub and a mobile learning lab for UTC students in health-related fields, traveling within the 10 counties in the Southeast Tennessee Area Agency on Aging and Disability’s district: Bledsoe, Bradley, Grundy, Hamilton, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Polk, Rhea and Sequatchie counties.

Wick introduced members of the ROAD MAP team, which includes Dr. Sarah Treat, Dr. Latisha Toney, Dr. Amber Roaché and Dr. Meagan Oslund (School of Nursing); Dr. Amir Alakaam (Master of Public Health); Dr. Erin Melhorn (Occupational Therapy); Dr. Cathy Scott (Social Work); and Dr. Deborah Mullen (Management). Other School of Nursing team members include Stephanie Blaine, Becky Miller and Joshua Epperson.

Also on hand for the launch ceremony was Dr. James Haynes, dean for the UT College of Medicine Chattanooga and a family practice physician, who Wick recognized for his supervision, saying, “Without his supervision, literally none of this would be possible.”

In her remarks, Wick highlighted the role of UTC students—who will be gaining real-world experience by working directly with underserved communities across the 10-county region—and encouraged attendees to imagine the transformative possibilities of community-based health care.

“Imagine a community where aging is celebrated, where people schedule their annual physicals to celebrate achieving another year of what matters most to them,” she said. “Imagine a community where health is addressed as a system, where we strive not only for physical health but for mental, spiritual and financial health as well. Imagine a community where senior centers are vibrant and full of activity, full of people from all age groups. Imagine a community where no one has to feel lonely or isolated.

“Friends, this world is better today.”

As part of the launch event, Alvarado presented a ceremonial check to recognize the state’s investment in improving health outcomes for Tennesseans.

“Today, we celebrate a community that refuses to let barriers define its future,” Alvarado said. “With this investment, our leaders are demonstrating that they are responding to community-led ideas and are making investments that empower and ensure that we too can soar toward a healthier future.”

Alvarado reflected on the broader vision behind the project and what the mobile clinic symbolizes.

“This mobile health unit represents more than just wheels and an engine. It represents hope, expertise and progress,” he said. “For too long, too many of our rural communities have struggled with access to essential health care services. Today, we take a significant step towards bridging that gap, and this unit will bring preventative care and other essential services to the people who need them the most.”

Turner talked about the urgency of investment in fast-growing rural regions and the importance of training and compassion in health-related fields.

“There are people that are moving to this area at an incredibly rapid rate,” he said. “The southeast region of Tennessee … is actually the fastest growing area in the entire region of the South for people that are over 60 years old. They are moving here in the aging space—and we have to get ready to make sure that we are able to support them and that they can still chase the American dream when they retire.”

Turner also spoke directly to the two dozen UTC students in attendance pursuing careers in therapy and health care, saying, “We need you.”

“The folks in the disability space need people that care about them and see them as individuals. The folks in the aging space need people who care about them. So thank you for your commitment and your passion for what you’re doing,” he said.

Smith praised Wick’s leadership and long-standing commitment to serving older adults.

“I had the honor of teaching Kristi when she was in our family nurse practitioner program, and she has had a heart for the aging population ever since I first met her. To have her working in our department is icing on the cake,” Smith said. “Her assignment was to get out in the community—and oh my goodness, has she gotten out into the community.

“It has been an absolute joy and pleasure to stand back and watch her lead this wonderful team that she has assembled—with the sole purpose of providing excellent care for aging individuals in these rural counties.”

Following the ceremony, attendees toured the clinic and observed student and faculty demonstrations showcasing how the unit integrates nursing, occupational therapy, social work and public health expertise in real-world applications.