St. John’s Community Health Expands Mobile Services to Reach Patients at Home

St. John’s Community Health has expanded its mobile medical program to include home visits, aiming to reach patients who are avoiding in-person care due to fear, safety concerns, or other access barriers.

The expansion was driven by a growing number of missed appointments and reports from community health workers that some families were reluctant to leave their homes, even for urgent medical needs. Many of these patients, according to staff, are part of immigrant households where uncertainty around public systems and services has led to a decrease in clinic visits.

The mobile care team—comprising nurses, medical assistants, and community health workers—now conducts house calls in areas where patients have expressed hesitancy about traveling to a clinic. Services provided include vaccinations, pediatric checkups, prenatal care, chronic disease management, and mental health screenings.

“We realized that some of our patients hadn’t seen a doctor in over a year,” said Jim Mangia, CEO of St. John’s Community Health. “They’re afraid or uncertain about seeking care, and this program is a way to restore that connection in a setting they trust.”

St. John’s operates more than 20 health centers across Los Angeles County and has long provided mobile outreach in schools and community spaces. The addition of in-home medical visits builds on this infrastructure and is designed to reach families that may otherwise delay or forgo care altogether.

The mobile units are equipped with basic medical supplies and staffed by teams that speak the languages of the communities they serve. In many cases, the teams are also helping families reconnect with primary care and other services they may have lost contact with during the pandemic or amid other disruptions.

Healthcare providers involved with the program say it has improved patient engagement and strengthened continuity of care. In addition to clinical services, the teams offer support with referrals to social services, including housing, nutrition, and behavioral health resources.

St. John’s Community Health has stated that it will continue to evaluate the impact of the program and explore ways to expand it to meet ongoing community needs.