CHCC, Team Rubicon Medics on the move

Nearly 300 individuals have received critical medical treatments and services through the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation (CHCC) Mobile Medical Clinic, an ongoing initiative launched in partnership with non-governmental organizations, including Team Rubicon and Samaritan’s Purse.

​The outreach program, which initially began on April 20, first focused on providing aid at emergency shelters for individuals who had lost their homes to the recent typhoon. By April 22, medical teams broadened their operational scope, transitioning to a house-to-house strategy across the island’s villages.

According to Heather Pangelinan, Director for Public Health Services, the shift in strategy is specifically designed to reach survivors who are either unable or reluctant to leave their damaged properties.

“We understand that sometimes it’s hard to leave your homes or where you’re at because of the situation right now. We’re trying to bring these services to them, so it doesn’t become a challenge for them to access care. We want the community to know that we’re here for them,” Pangelinan said during an interview yesterday at a Mobile Medical Clinic in China Town.

The initiative utilizes three primary mobile teams. Each unit is heavily equipped with a medical provider—either a physician or a nurse practitioner—alongside registered nurses, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), medics, behavioral health specialists, and a dedicated traveling pharmacy team.

These specialized teams are treating a wide variety of post-typhoon medical needs, ranging from the management of chronic conditions to acute, disaster-related injuries.

​“There are a lot of our community members that are on medications for conditions like diabetes or hypertension, and a lot of them have lost their medication in the typhoon or they’re not able to access their refills. So, we kind of help them with that,” Pangelinan explained.

Additionally, providers are actively treating injuries directly related to the disaster and cleanup efforts. This includes cleaning infections and addressing cuts or puncture wounds caused by residents stepping on exposed nails and debris. In several severe instances during both shelter and home visits, the mobile teams have had to call 911 to request EMS transport to the CHCC Emergency Department.​

Team Rubicon, which has been on the ground assisting since the first day of the outreach, is scheduled to help with operations through May 3. The door-to-door outreach is expected to continue at least through next weekend, with teams adjusting their daily strategies based on identified community needs.

Residents can track the daily locations of the Mobile Health Clinic through announcements posted the night before on the CHCC’s official social media platforms.

​For residents who do not require immediate on-site medical attention but still need to see a doctor, Pangelinan noted that a free stationary clinic run by Samaritan’s Purse is currently open. The stationary clinic operates out of a tent located across from the emergency room at the CHCC parking lot on Navy Hill.