Mobile VA clinic comes to Osceola

Through 2025, the VA Virtual Mobile Clinic (VMC) will be making an every-other-month stop in Osceola, providing local veterans with a variety of care.

The VMC is the first mobile clinic of its kind in Iowa. It is designed to go to remote areas of Iowa, helping to connect veterans with their primary care providers at the VA Hospital in Des Moines, who might otherwise have to travel an hour or more to get to the physical location.

“It’s nice…it’s something that’s going to help with getting rural veterans in to see their providers,” said Stephanie Rhoads, director Clarke County Veterans Affairs.

Many years ago, Clarke County had a van that took veterans to the VA, but over the years it became harder to find volunteers to drive the van. With many veterans either uncomfortable with driving to Des Moines or the inconvenience of a longer drive for a short appointment, Clarke County Supervisors Dean Robins and Randy Dunbar are hopeful this will be a more convenient solution.

“We do have an aging veteran [population]...it’s going to be harder to get to Des Moines,” said Dunbar.

With the mobile clinic, it can also help cut down on some wait times or tests that might otherwise have required the drive to the hospital.

“We want to make sure all veterans have that service. I think the availability of it is way better than trying to figure out how to get to the VA,” said Robins.

Rhoads is also hopeful that the VMC will compel veterans to come take advantage of the closer to home service, and stick with the VA.

“It’s exciting,” said Rhoads of having the mobile option for veterans.

Inside, the VMC has two exam rooms, and Emily Morgan, RN with the VA, explained the process.

“The patient would come in here, and then we’ll put their provider up on the screen…we’re their hands on” said Morgan.

Morgan or another RN can hold a stethoscope up to a patient, and the doctor can hear it virtually on their end. They have specialized cameras that can be used to see inside ears, they can take pictures of the skin to send to dermatologists, and draw labs that are sent to the VA lab.

The VMC can do a variety of different appointments - primary care, respiratory, oncology, cardiology, tele-wound, teledermatology, urology, mental health, nutrition, social work, speech therapy, sleep study follow ups, occupational therapy, lab draws and vaccinations. Over time, they hope to be able to expand what is offered to include such things as physical therapy, if the doctor is available that day to travel along. Acupuncture is planned to be offered this fall.

“Almost anything that you could have done there, we can do here,” said Morgan. “We’re really excited for all the options we can do.”

At the time VMC was in Osceola, it was only their third trip since beginning, but that was expanding.

“We’re going to be in at least seven counties, our goal is to do up to 11,” said Morgan, noting that the counties will be rural, or areas where the veterans would have to commute a longer distance to get to the VA hospital. VMC offers a wheelchair lift for those who need assistance.

They plan to do the mobile clinic year round.

“If it’s safe to travel, we should be there,” Morgan said.

The clinic can provide for some walk-in appointments - checking for tele-health eligibility, blood pressure checks, home telehealth screening or enrollment scheduling, live telehealth scheduling and enrollment in “My HealtheVet.” According to a press release from the VA, the VMC can accommodate up to 15 scheduled appointments and over 20 vaccinations per day.

To schedule an appointment with the mobile clinic, one can call 515-401-5452; appointments are encouraged to make sure the veteran can be seen. While scheduling is not done through Rhoads, she is available to help answer some questions, and will find answers if needed.

Dates for the remainder of 2024 are: Aug. 19, Oct. 21, Dec. 16. Dates for 2025 are: Feb. 24, April 21, June 23, Aug. 25, Oct. 22 and Dec. 22; all are Mondays. It is anticipated that the clinic will always be in the parking lot for the Clarke County Courthouse, or very close by.