EAGAN, Minn., Dec. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blue Plus, the health maintenance organization (HMO) affiliate of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross) is collaborating with Odam Medical Group to expand the service area of its Mobile Clinic to include Polk and Rice counties and increase its care offerings.
Housed in a converted RV, the Mobile Clinic has been bringing the same services offered in a primary care clinic to homes in 16 Central Minnesota counties since 2022. The Mobile Clinic has now expanded its care offerings to include bone density screening for seniors.
“We know access to reliable transportation is a major barrier to care, especially in rural areas of the state and among immigrant populations,” said Chris Reiten, Vice President of Medicaid at Blue Cross. “The feedback from patients who have received care from the Mobile Clinic is incredibly positive, so we are thrilled to build on our relationship with Odam Medical Group to increase access to important preventive care services and meet even more Minnesotans where they are.”
Sponsored by Blue Cross, Odam Medical Group has also added a new converted RV equipped with a mammography unit to its Mobile Clinic fleet.
“Early detection for breast cancer can vastly improve health outcomes,” said Dr. Robert Larbi-Odam, Founder of Odam Medical Group. “Adding mammograms to our services will make it easier for patients to get their recommended screenings, especially in counties where they would otherwise need to travel long distances for an appointment.”
The new services are available immediately to patients of all ages who are either enrolled in public programs, have commercial health insurance or are uninsured. These are in addition to the following preventive care services offered by the Mobile Clinic:
• Well child assessments and screenings
• Childhood asthma management
• Pregnancy testing
• Prenatal care
• Post-partum care
• Pap smears and other routine screenings
• Vaccines
• Diabetes testing and management
• Diabetic foot care
• Weight management
• Medication management
• Fall risk assessment for seniors
• Senior immunizations
• Testing and treatment of hypertension
• Social determinants of health screening and referrals
• Behavioral health evaluation and referrals
The Mobile Clinic team speaks Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Hmong, Vietnamese, English, Dari, Pashto and Urdu, with interpreter services available for other languages.
To schedule an appointment with the Mobile Clinic, call 612-871-2312 or schedule online at odammedicalgroup.org.
Odam Medical Group is an independent company that provides Mobile Clinic services.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota
For more than 90 years, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (bluecrossmn.com) has supported the health, wellbeing and peace of mind of our members by striving to ensure equitable access to high quality care at an affordable price. Our 2.5 million members can be found in every Minnesota county, all 50 states and on four continents. Blue Cross® and Blue Shield® of Minnesota and Blue Plus® are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Paige Calhoun
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota
651-662-9378
Paige.calhoun@bluecrossmn.com
