A new mobile health clinic is bringing primary care directly to vulnerable populations in Toronto, setting up at public library branches across the city.
The partnership between University Health Network and the Toronto Public Library aims to help those who struggle to access traditional health services, including the homeless, refugees, and youth with mental health challenges.
“There are thousands of people in the city having challenges to access primary care, basic health-care supports, social care and so what we saw is that we need to be moving towards meeting people where they’re at,” said Dr. Andrew Boozary, executive director of the Gattuso Centre for Social Medicine.
The pilot launched at the Sanderson branch near Bathurst and Dundas streets, chosen due to high rates of homelessness, poverty, and health-related calls. Its proximity to Toronto Western Hospital was also a factor.
Each mobile unit is staffed with a nurse practitioner, a registered nurse, and a mobile health support representative, and is equipped with examination supplies and a full bed. The clinic operates five days a week and requires no identification to access services, aiming to rebuild trust with the most vulnerable while easing pressure on emergency rooms.