Most underserved areas have limited access to clinics or other health resources. As a result, many individuals living in these communities face higher rates of health disparities, which disproportionality impact people of color.

When the Community Plan of Virginia began exploring ways to bring a mobile vaccine clinic into the underserved Tidewater region, the DC team quickly suggested FiveMedicine as a partner to deliver COVID-19 vaccinations. A local, small diverse business, FiveMedicine had previously assisted the DC team with rolling out COVID-19 testing in underserved districts across Washington, DC.

“When my counterpart in Virginia gave me a call and said they needed help with rolling out the vaccine, I immediately told her about the good experience we had with FiveMedicine,” said Kathlyn Wee, CEO for the Community Plan of DC and Maryland. “Being able to connect Virginia to a partner that already had experience working with us really helped accelerate their timeline.”

Sharing best practices across state lines gave the mobile clinic a running start. The clinic came to life in less than a month thanks to collaboration between the DC and Virginia teams and support from the following organizations:

• Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services
• Virginia Department of Health
• Southeastern Virginia Health System (a local FQHC)
• FiveMedicine (a Black-owned, small diverse business)
• Peninsula Health District

“We’re meeting people where they are,” said Tameeka Smith, CEO for the Community Plan of Virginia. “We’re doing innovative collaborations with organizations that are making health care easier to understand and access.”

Hear from our partners and members of our Washington, DC and Virginia teams as they describe how the clinic is building health equity and improving health outcomes in a historically underserved community.