The first stop for the full health clinic providing OB/GYN services on wheels was in front of the Carnegie Library of McKeesport.
Allegheny Health Network’s Women’s Institute, in collaboration with First Steps and Beyond, unveiled a new mobile health van on Tuesday morning in an effort to increase access to wellness and care.
“This represents the power of collaboration,” said Dr. Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew, AHN’s chief clinical diversity, equity and inclusion officer and lead of the First Steps and Beyond Program. Larkins-Pettigrew, a McKeesport native, said this initiative will help address systemic racial bias.
“We are meeting the patient where they are,” she said.
The mobile clinic will offer wellness visits, thorough gynecological services, prenatal and postpartum care, family planning, an ultrasound machine, menstrual products and blood draws. The van was made possible by a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration.
Services will be available beginning in March in front of the McKeesport Library, which will operate daily from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The van will also stop at other locations, including Charleroi, Clairton, Braddock and McKees Rocks. Appointments can be scheduled through the AHN app, by email or after visits.
Takiyah Durham, the executive director of First Steps and Beyond, a nonprofit dedicated to decreasing Black infant mortality rates, reducing preterm birth rates, and creating awareness about safe sleep practices for infants, called the mobile health van groundbreaking.
“We are just really excited. I think it gives us an opportunity to bring additional access to care for all in the community,” she said. “It is definitely a beacon of hope to bring additional resources to the community, to maintain health equity for all and to ensure that every person receives top-quality care.”
Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato attended the unveiling and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Carnegie Library of McKeesport. Innamorato said that no single organization or person can solve the systemic challenges that exist in the region, such as infant mortality.
“We are failing to serve women and children, especially Black women. And when you look at the numbers, it may seem easy to just do nothing,” she said. “But this is an action step and a positive step forward, a reminder that together we can do great things in community and by working together.”
“We have been single-mindedly thinking about what we can do to improve our relationships in the communities and to increase access for women, particularly Black women in the city of Pittsburgh, who face such terrible disparities,” said Dr. Marcia Klein-Patel, chair of AHN Women’s Institute.
Klein-Patel emphasized that the mobile unit is only part of the larger story of being where women need them.
“A woman might say, ‘I don’t know if I trust healthcare,’ but if they see us there week after week, they might say, ‘Maybe next Tuesday, I’ll walk in.’ It’s about community building, restoring trust and providing comprehensive, high-quality services that you would get in any other static office location,” Klein-Patel said. “If we take away as many barriers as possible, hopefully we can help people get to their health goals.”
Black women are disproportionately affected by gynecological issues such as endometriosis and fibroids according to Klein-Patel. They also experience higher maternal and infant mortality rates, according to the Network for Public Health Law.
“On the van, we can bring a listening, attentive ear to their concerns, helping them align care that improves their quality of life,” Klein-Patel said. “So many women are misheard, especially with endometriosis and fibroids. Black women tend to have fibroids earlier than other women, and the size is often larger. I hope the van will allow more women to feel comfortable asking questions.”
Reaching the closest AHN Women’s Health Office from McKeesport currently may require two buses and a 17-minute walk or a 35-minute drive, which can be a deterrent for patients, especially new mothers who need postpartum care.
Dr. Grace Ferguson, physician lead of the Mobile Health Van, noted that postpartum patients have a 50% no-show rate.
“Bringing care as close as possible will help get patients into care and build trust to link them to other parts of their healthcare journey,” Ferguson said. “Postpartum care is also a great opportunity for blood pressure and diabetes follow-ups, as well as discussing pregnancy spacing. One of the most important things is ensuring there’s a safe interval between pregnancies. When pregnancies happen too close together, the outcomes for the second pregnancy are often worse.”
Featured Local Businesses
Amber Webb, a councilwoman for McKeesport, mom and library board member, has experienced firsthand the disparities that Black women face during pregnancy in the region.
“This is phenomenal for the city to have this resource for Black women. Our library has been a great resource center already. It is very fitting that we would invite this sort of change into our area,” Webb said.