Underserved children soon will have greater access to health care services in central and southeastern Ohio. Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Central Ohio and Nationwide Children’s Hospital are launching today the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile.
WHAT:
Ronald McDonald Care Mobile Launch
A state-of-the-art traveling medical clinic that will provide access to health care for children in underserved areas of central and southeastern Ohio.
WHEN:
11 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Schedule of Events
11 a.m. Media tours of new Ronald McDonald Care Mobile
11:30 a.m. Remarks by RMHC board, staff and sponsors, and Nationwide Children’s Hospital board and staff. Speakers include:
- Dee Anders, executive director, RMHC of Central Ohio
- Paul Thompson, Incoming Board Chair, RMHC of Central Ohio
- Abigail Wexner, Board Chair, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
- Dr. Steve Allen, CEO, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
- Marty Coyne, CEO, Ronald McDonald House Charities Global
- George S. Barrett, CEO, Cardinal Health
- Steve Steinour, CEO, The Huntington
- Debbie Lavin Rosenberg, Daughter of Shelly and Sylvia Lavin
- Shirley Rogers Reece, Vice President, General Manager McDonald’s Corporation Ohio Region
- Dr. Olivia Thomas, Ambulatory Pediatrics, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
- Jack Clark, Senior Vice President, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
12-1 p.m. Lunch and tours of Ronald McDonald Care Mobile
WHERE:
Columbus Ronald McDonald House, 711 E. Livingston Ave., Columbus, OH 43205
“We believe that all children deserve access to adequate health care,” said Dee Anders, executive director, RMHC of Central Ohio. “However, many local children currently are not receiving even the most basic care. The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile will bridge the gap between health care providers and underserved children, so children with the greatest barriers to health care can get the care they need.”
The new Ronald McDonald Care Mobile includes two patient exam rooms, a laboratory, a reception area, and a registration area. The medical clinic will soon begin touring central and southeastern Ohio communities. Services provided will vary by each community’s needs and may include:
- Immunizations
- Well-child and sick visits
- Body Mass Index calculations and nutrition counseling
- Fluoride treatments
- Developmental screenings
- Vision, hearing and lead screening
- Blood collection and point of care testing
- Childhood health education and injury prevention education
- Specialty care referrals including mental health and social service referrals
Currently, there are 42 Ronald McDonald Care Mobile programs in six countries, and only two others have been launched in the U.S. this year. The new Ronald McDonald Care Mobile is made possible by Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Cardinal Health Foundation, The Huntington Bank, McDonald’s and other sponsors.
About Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio
When a child is hospitalized, the healing power of having family nearby is beyond measure. It is this purpose that defines Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio. The Columbus Ronald McDonald House is located directly across the street from Nationwide Children’s Hospital at 711 E. Livingston Avenue. Open 365 days a year, the Ronald McDonald House is a home-away-from-home for families with seriously ill children receiving treatment in the hospital. The House offers comfortable bedrooms with private baths, continuing care suites for recovering transplant patients, fully equipped kitchens and dining areas, play rooms, laundry facilities, a meditation room, exercise room and informal gathering areas. From the visionary beginnings of the first Ronald McDonald House on 18th Street to the new House, RMHC has grown with the Columbus community and its needs. The House can accommodate 80 families every night, making it the second largest Ronald McDonald House in the world. In 2009, RMHC provided 20,000 nights at the House for 2,300 families. RMHC of Central Ohio also operates a Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, a traveling medical clinic that will provide access to adequate health care for underserved children. For more information, visit www.rmhc-centralohio.org.
The Primary Care Network at Nationwide Children's is one of the largest in the country and offers community-based physician services for children (ages birth to 21) to help keep children healthy with regular physical exams, vision, hearing and general development checks, and immunizations against childhood diseases. Nationwide Children's Mobile Care Center provides primary care, preventive and educational services to medically underserved children in Columbus City Schools. The Mobile Care Center also participates in and supports community events and partnerships. More information is available at www.NationwideChildrens.org/Primary-Care-Centers.
Media Contacts:
Ryan Wilkins, (614) 227-3768
Ryan.Wilkins@RMHC-CentralOhio.org
Pam Barber, (614) 355-0495
Pam.Barber@NationwideChildrens.org