Ne-Ia-Shing Clinic To-Go
By VIVIAN LaMOORE, INAAJIMOWIN EDITOR
With a Cummins B6.7 liter diesel turbo engine, hydraulic brakes, and automatic transmission, this new mini-clinic on wheels will be ready to roll out Ne-Ia-Shing clinic services to the communities with nearly all of the clinic necessities. This mobile clinic was made possible through Indian Health Services federal COVID-19 funding. The new mobile Ne-Ia-Shing Clinic is planned to be able to roll out to Band communities late 2022 or early 2023.
The project began at the end of the summer in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mille Lacs Band Health and Human Services staff on the planning committee included: Greta Sorvik, Accountant; Jan Manary, Executive Director; Curt Kalk Jr., Facilities Director; Lisa Stangl, Lab Manager; and Jenna Kuduk, Health Services Director.
"I wish we would have had it for the first COVID-19 outbreaks but all items were back-ordered and there were a lot of checks and balances," said Kuduk. "We will be able to take it to all of the ALUs, soley for outreach, case management, clinic, disaster response, and more."
"There will be some lab testing availability and we will be able to draw blood to send back to the clinic for testing, and do simple tests like STREP test, COVID-19 testing," said Stangl.
Depending on what the needs are, HHS will be assigning a lead for each health care department. It could be home health care, case management, clinic work, lab work, or "if, for example, there is a hepatitis outbreak, we can go to a community and run tests on people in that community," Strangl added. "Bringing health care to the communities as the needs arise."
The mobile unit is a 2022 custom Freightliner S2C Turbo and will not require drivers to have a commercial driver's license in order to operate it. The clinic on wheels is equipped with two exam rooms, wheel chair lift, blood draw station with limited lab equipment, refrigerator, restroom, consult room, automatic awning, front and back entrance, and on-board quiet generator to operate the equipment.
There is currently some discussion on what the unit should be called. One idea that has been at the top of the list is Mashkiki Jiigidaabaan, translated to Medicine Sled, said Kalk. Once that is determined, the Band logo and decals can be ordered and applied. The committee plans to have the unit available at the upcoming Health Fair. Watch for details on that coming soon.
