New Mobile Health Clinic Launches In Worcester

WORCESTER, MA — A new mobile health clinic will carry forward a 25-year effort to bring medical and dental services directly to families across Central Massachusetts.

UMass Memorial Health and Ronald McDonald House New England unveiled the third-generation Ronald McDonald Care Mobile on Tuesday at the Green Island Neighborhood Center at Crompton Park. The 40-foot clinic will provide primary care, preventive dental services, immunizations, health screenings and health education at schools and community locations.

The new clinic replaces a vehicle that served the region for 14 years. UMass Memorial leaders joined Care Mobile staff, Ronald McDonald House New England representatives and philanthropic partners including The Hanover Insurance Group and the Ruby W. and LaVon P. Linn Foundation for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“Access to care remains one of the greatest challenges facing many families,” UMass Memorial Health President and CEO Dr. Eric Dickson said. “The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile brings essential health care services directly into our communities, eliminating obstacles such as transportation, cost and time away from work or school.”

Dickson called the new vehicle an investment in health equity and the health system’s commitment to meeting patients where they are.

25 Years Of Mobile Health Care

The Worcester Care Mobile launched in 2000 through a partnership between UMass Memorial Medical Center and Ronald McDonald House New England. It was the first Ronald McDonald Care Mobile prototype and helped establish a program that has since expanded to more than 50 mobile clinics worldwide, according to UMass Memorial Health.

“Our Care Mobile team has been an innovator for more than 25 years since the launch of the very first Care Mobile here in Worcester,” Ronald McDonald House New England CEO Lauren Hoops-Schmieg said. “Our continued service for decades is a testament to how important having a program like this in our communities is.”

Hoops-Schmieg said the organization looks forward to another 25 years of work with UMass Memorial and its community partners.

UMass Memorial said the program serves 26 Worcester public and charter schools and 11 community locations. The team handled more than 5,000 pediatric and adult visits during fiscal 2025.

The clinic provides physical exams, immunizations, chronic and semi-urgent care, preventive dental services, point-of-care testing and referrals. Staff also connect patients with insurance coverage, primary care providers and other community resources.

Between March 2020 and March 2023, the team administered more than 114,000 free COVID-19 tests and more than 12,000 vaccines while distributing more than 101,000 masks, according to UMass Memorial.

The program has also completed more than 1,000 visits with migrant families living in emergency shelters since July 2023. Those services included vaccinations, screenings, family planning and referrals, while staff helped patients obtain insurance and establish continuing care.

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