Six Important Considerations When Customizing Your Mobile Clinic

Customizing a mobile medical clinic allows your team to operate efficiently no matter where the needs are in your community. It also allows your clinic to offer life-saving services across a greater area than a traditional brick-and-mortar clinic.

If you are considering building a new mobile medical clinic, it is important to take the time to customize the vehicle to meet your team’s specific needs.

Use the following six considerations to ensure that your build is a success.

#1: The Purpose of the Mobile Medical Clinic

The first thing to consider when designing your custom medical vehicle is what the primary purpose of the vehicle will be. There are nearly limitless applications for mobile medical clinics and how the vehicle is used will play a huge role in the design and layout of the vehicle, as well as the size of the build.

The following are all common purposes for mobile medical clinics:

• Mobile dental clinics
• Mobile eye clinics
• Mobile imaging vehicles
• Mobile labs
• Primary care vehicles
• Veterinary vehicles

Determining the purpose will help dictate what needs to be included in your vehicle’s design. For example, a mobile imaging vehicle will need specialized equipment, such as x-ray equipment, MRIs, or mammography machines.

Create a detailed list of the equipment and supplies your clinic will need to ensure that ample space is allocated from the start.

#2: The Type of Chassis

Once you know how you will be using your custom mobile medical clinic, it is time to determine which chassis to use as the basis for your build.

Freightliner, Ford, and Winnebago are just a few of the many options available for your build.

When choosing a chassis, it will be important to consider the size and style of your build. For example, a Ford Transit will make an excellent chassis for a small van size clinic. For a larger build, a Freightliner might be a better choice.

#3: The Workflow of Your Team

Customizing your mobile clinic will involve careful consideration by the workflow of your team. During the design of the vehicle, make sure to consult with the medical staff members who will be using the clinic. Their input is vital to the success of the mobile unit. They will appreciate being included in the process.

You will want to consider the areas where patients will be checked in, medical services will be performed, and where bulky equipment will be stored.

The goal is to create a safe and efficient workflow that alleviates pain points for medical staff.

#4: The On-Board Technology

Modern mobile medical clinics can be outfitted with all the latest and best that technology has to offer. From x-ray machines to premium WiFi connections, you can design your build to include all the technology and equipment your team needs.

During the early stages of design, be sure to discuss the technology necessary to include in the build. The company you choose should be able to discuss all of the technology available to help determine what the unit needs.

#5: The Project Budget

It will be important throughout the customization process to be clear about the total project budget for the build.

Make sure that you discuss your budget with your customization team from the start. Never work with a team that pressures you to spend more than you have in the budget. The team you work with should be able to customize the build to meet your needs while staying within the budget.

Additionally, ask about financing options. Many custom builders offer excellent financing on mobile medical clinics.

#6: The Capabilities of the Customization Team

One of the key considerations for any custom mobile clinic is choosing the right team.

Not all custom builders operate the same way and picking the right team is monumental to the success of your build.

Look for a custom builder who has years of experience designing mobile medical clinics. Ask to see previous work to ensure that the style of their builds will match your expectations.

It’s a big plus to choose a company that has in-house designers, engineers and can manufacture on-site. This will ensure the highest quality build.

Never hesitate to ask questions before hiring a team. The more questions you ask upfront, the easier it is to determine whether or not a company is the best fit for your mobile needs.

Customize Your Mobile Clinic Today

If you are interested in designing a custom mobile medical clinic, talk to our team at Summit Bodyworks today. We have many years of experience designing and building mobile medical vehicles for all kinds of medical clinics.

Want to learn more about our work? Check out a recent upfit we designed for Denver Health. The Denver Health Primary Care Unit is built on a Freightliner M2 chassis and features an array of custom options. The detailed layout of this build paired with the premium technology makes it possible for Denver Health to serve more patients than ever before.

Talk to our team today about customizing your mobile clinic.