When it comes to healthcare, one size does not fit all, especially for adults with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). To address this, Bancroft and Cooper University Health Care have teamed up to launch a mobile clinic designed to bring compassionate, customized care directly to the people who need it most.
A shared vision
The mobile clinic, the shared vision of Dr. Karen Lindgren, Bancroft’s Chief Clinical Officer, and Dr. Franziska Jovin, Cooper’s Chief Patient Experience Officer and SVP, is already making a measurable difference. The clinic, funded through a grant provided to Cooper, travels to Bancroft group homes and day programs and provides accessible and individualized medical care in familiar environments.
“Those with autism are up to three times more likely to experience chronic health conditions like anxiety, depression, and obesity,” says Dr. Lindgren. “Yet adults with autism are 2.5 times more likely to avoid medical care. They are navigating a system that isn’t built for them, and we need to change that and meet them where they are.”
That’s exactly what the mobile clinic aims to do. On any given day, you might find Kimberly Young, a nurse practitioner from Cooper, performing routine exams or more complex tests like EKGs and bladder scans, all from the comfort of a patient’s own day program or residence.
More than a routine exam
One recent patient illustrates the clinic’s impact. Jose, a Bancroft resident, is usually calm and cooperative during medical visits, a rarity for many with autism. When Kimberly asked him how he was feeling, she didn’t just rely on his answers. She also spoke with the Bancroft caregivers who know him best, asking about his appetite, behavior changes, socialization, and even what brings him joy. The answer? Dancing to Taylor Swift and Katy Perry.
“For patients with autism, if I can’t do some tests, I’ll find another way and then put the whole story together,” Kimberly explains. “You have to pay attention to cues.”
Closing gaps and expanding care
That attentiveness is key in closing the care gap for people with I/DD. The mobile clinic doesn’t just offer convenience, it offers dignity, comfort, and medical care built around each person’s unique needs and preferences. By conducting exams in familiar environments with the support of trusted caregivers, patients experience less anxiety and greater success in receiving the care they deserve.
Alongside direct care, the program will also generate research to assess health outcomes and determine whether this model could be replicated elsewhere.
“We’re hopefully closing gaps in care,” Kimberly says. “This population is underserved, and they need a medical voice.”
