Optometry On Wheels: The Satellite Alternative

The idea of a 'traveling doctoy' is not new. America's pioneer settlements were serviced by doctors and dentists who traveled from town to town, more out of necessity rather than by choice. This concept of mobility has more recently been replaced by another form of diversification, the satellite clinic. Optometrists, in particular, seem to be especially motivated to expand their territories by operating parttime satellite offices in neighboring communities.
To the average skeptic, the thought of a Mobile Optometry Clinic conjures the image of a spectacle vending 'shlock outfit' selling eyeglasses from the backseat of a station wagon. Actually, the mobile clinic, in this case, consists of a remodeled travel trailer, fully equipped to
perform most of the functions of a typical optometric office. It is the intent of this paper to realistically evaluate the feasibility of a mobile clinic as an alternative way to deliver primary care.