OSF HealthCare is set to roll out a new mobile unit delivering pregnancy and postpartum care to underserved communities in Central Illinois, following a $1.5 million investment from Meridian Health Plan of Illinois and the Centene Foundation.
The funding, provided over three years, supports the expansion of the OSF OnCall Connect pregnancy and postpartum programme, a Medicaid-based digital health support service. The mobile van will serve as a critical extension of this programme, bringing in-person maternity care directly to patients in Bureau, Henry, Knox, LaSalle, Marshall, Peoria, Putnam, and Woodford counties, areas classified as maternity care deserts.
In Illinois, more than a third of counties lack sufficient maternity services, with some patients facing travel distances of up to 59 miles for obstetric care. The new OSF OnCall van addresses this issue head-on by offering doorstep medical services, including sonograms, vaccinations, lab work, blood pressure monitoring, and postpartum depression screenings.
“These mobile units represent a meaningful step toward bringing pregnancy and postpartum care directly to communities that need it most,” said Cristal Gary, Plan President and CEO at Meridian. “By working with OSF HealthCare, we hope to help ensure that more mothers and babies have the opportunity to thrive.”
The mobile unit will begin patient appointments the week of July 28 and is tailored for women enrolled in the OSF OnCall Connect programme who are either pregnant or within the first month postpartum. Eligible patients may self-enrol or be referred by a healthcare provider or insurer.
“Faced with numerous operational challenges, many rural hospitals in Illinois have shut down their labor and delivery units, leading to maternity care deserts,” said Jennifer Junis, President of OSF OnCall. “Pregnant women on Medicaid in rural areas are statistically more likely to die of a pregnancy-related complication than their suburban counterparts.”
“We focused on areas with the greatest need, and our goal is for the OSF OnCall Connect pregnancy and postpartum mobile clinic to extend care to women who need it most, supporting healthier pregnancies, full-term births and strong starts for both moms and babies,” Junis added.
The mobile clinic will serve as a convenient and accessible alternative for patients who may struggle with transportation or availability of care, ensuring continuity and support throughout their pregnancy and into the postpartum period. Services include weekly pregnancy education, regular chat-based check-ins, 24/7 access to a specialised care team, breastfeeding support, and tools to address social determinants of health.
