FaceTime helps parents still ‘attend’ appointments when they can’t get off work

Asthma Vans have begun using FaceTime and other video conferencing apps so parents who cannot get off work can still ‘attend’ their child’s visit.

Getting time off work to attend appointments has increasingly become a barrier for parents that rely on Mobile Care. This is especially true for parents of children with severe asthma. At first, getting a child’s asthma under control can require 3-6 appointments a year. Losing out on 3-6 more days of wages (on top of all the other things in life that come up) is simply not possible for some families.

After successfully piloting telehealth appointments this past year, Mobile Care has begun rolling out a launch at all 45 of its Asthma Van school sites. This program has the potential to allow the Asthma Vans to reach 20% more children with asthma.

Though asthma cannot be treated without parents being heavily involved, telehealth can ensure a child’s health doesn’t come at the expense of a day’s wages.

This program is a continuation of Mobile Care Chicago’s mission to help families overcome barriers to accessing health care with no-cost mobile clinics. With 80% of first-time patients to our mobile clinics reporting an inability to access more distant brick-and-mortar clinics, the Asthma and Dental Vans are an important resource for thousands of families. Thank you to our many donors for allowing our Asthma Vans to continue their legacy of innovation. A special thank you to Julie and Dennis McCrary for generously donating a new iPad to the Asthma Van so we could begin the telehealth pilot!