PHOENIX (AZFamily) — The percentage of women in Arizona receiving inadequate prenatal care is higher than the national average, according to new data from the March of Dimes.
That’s a statistic the nonprofit is trying to change in partnership with Arizona State University’s Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation and the Wesley Community Health Center.
A new mobile mom and baby health center has been up and running in Phoenix for a few weeks now, with funding from Arizona United Healthcare Community Plan.
“We’ve only been seeing patients since mid-May, so this is pretty new,” said Laura Maurer, a family nurse practitioner and clinical assistant professor at Arizona State University.
They can help patients with a variety of medical needs, but they focus on prenatal care for women in underserved areas.
“There is a great need for obstetric care. One of the biggest barriers is access to care, whether that be transportation, finances or lack of insurance,” Maurer said.
The clinic helps people with or without insurance.
It’s also a learning opportunity for Arizona State University nursing student Wilfredo Rodriguez.
“You certainly learn the fundamentals in the classroom, but seeing patients, listening to their stories and talking to them gives you good experience,” Rodriguez said.
He’s the only ASU student helping out with the mobile clinic for now, but plans are in place to have more students get involved in the future.
Rodriguez said they are learning a lot more than just looking at patients’ symptoms.
“By listening to their story, learning about their work, learning about their family, you can put all the pieces of the puzzle together and get a good history and a good diagnosis,” Rodriguez said.
The mobile clinics will be held at three locations each week from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Tuesday’s mobile clinic is at the Coffelt Lamoreux Apartment Homes, 1510 S. 19th Dr. Wednesday’s mobile clinic is parked outside the Watts Family Maryvale YMCA, 3825 N. 67th Ave. The third location is in the parking lot of Hushabye Nursery, 3003 E. McDowell Rd., on Thursday.
March of Dimes plans to bring a third mobile clinic to Arizona next year to reach rural communities, and hopes to involve social work students.
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