Last fall, Thunderbirds Charities donated $100,000 to Phoenix Children’s Hospital to purchase a new Crews’n Healthmobile, a mobile medical unit that provides free, comprehensive medical services directly to children and young adults up to the age of 25 who are homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless. On Tuesday, December 9th, the new Crews’n Healthmobile was unveiled in front of Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
The unit is specially outfitted with three exam rooms and the latest pediatric medical technology. This is a second mobile medical unit and will expand services throughout the valley. The original Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) was established by a partnership in 2000, with Children’s Health Fund and Home Base Youth Services. Over the past 15 years, the program has grown to include the mobile medical units and host 18 weekly clinics. The newest Crews’n Healthmobile is state-of-the-art and is one of the most technologically advanced mobile units in the country.
“We’re proud to support Phoenix Children’s Hospital and their Crews’n Healthmobile,” said Thunderbirds Big Chief Tom King. “They see about 1800 unique patients per year through 4,000 medical visits to their mobile unit. This second Mobile Medical Unit will help PCH treat more people across our community.”
The new unit was built by Mobile Specialty vehicles in Texas and includes the very latest in technology. Internet in Motion wireless internet is available through any wireless carrier and ensures coverage anywhere in the U.S. Additional features in the mobile unit include wireless temperature monitoring with a smart system that will text or call staff if the temperatures vary out of storage range, HEPA filters, seamless flooring, with rounded corners to eliminate areas of bacteria growth, an onboard water filtration RO system for medication mixing and drinking, power windshield sun screens, LED lighting and low volt ACs, which draw almost 40 percent less power than the previous units with the same BTU rating.
Also, all of the cabinets have built-in locks with slam-proof doors, the pocket doors that close off the exam rooms have 600 pound magnets built in that allows them to lock in place when the engine is turned on and features dual power slide-outs so nurse triage and medication storage can be maximized. The diesel generator is equipped with a smart monitor that allows it to recognize when the shore power goes down and the computer automatically turns the generator off and informs staff when there is a shore power issue.
The Bob and Renee Parsons Foundation’s gift of $1.5 million was the lead gift for the project,
with additional generous gifts from community partners and donors, including:
- Thunderbirds Charities
- Barry and Barbara Zemel
- Tom and Joan Kalimanis from H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation
About Phoenix Children’s Hospital
Phoenix Children’s Hospital is Arizona’s only children’s hospital that is ranked in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospitals. Phoenix Children’s provides world-class inpatient, outpatient, trauma, emergency and urgent care to children and families in Arizona and throughout the Southwest. As one of the largest children’s hospitals in the country, Phoenix Children’s provides care across more than 75 pediatric specialties. The Hospital is poised for continued growth in quality patient care, research and medical education. For more information about the hospital, visit www.phoenixchildrens.org.