Traveling miles - Providing the Veterans the care they deserve
By Duane Duimstra, Public Affairs Officer
Learn more about how the Mobile Prosthetic and Orthotic Care mobile lab has been improving Veteran experience receiving specialized care with essential prosthetic and orthotic services since 2023.
The Mobile Prosthetic and Orthotic Care (MoPOC) mobile lab has transformed how Veterans receive specialized care since arriving at the Sioux Falls VA Health Care System in 2023. This custom-built vehicle serves as a key tool to bring essential prosthetic and orthotic services to Veterans closer to their homes.
VA Prosthetist-Orthotist Jillian Hitchcock, CPO, operates this innovative mobile lab, traveling thousands of miles each year to deliver high-quality care where Veterans need it most. Her work exemplifies the VA’s commitment to eliminating barriers that prevent Veterans from accessing specialized medical services.
Arthur Behnke’s story illustrates the profound impact of mobile care. The U.S. Navy Veteran, who served from 1967 to 1971, lost his leg in a farm accident. Since then, the Sioux Falls VA has provided him with both a mechanical and a computer-controlled prosthetic leg.
Prosthetic devices require regular maintenance and adjustments to function properly. Daily wear creates issues that demand professional attention to maintain comfort and proper fit. Previously, Arthur faced a challenging journey of over 100 miles to reach the Sioux Falls facility for these essential services.
Now, Ms. Hitchcock makes weekly visits to the Spirit Lake Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC), located just 40 miles from Arthur’s home. This significant reduction in travel distance has transformed his healthcare experience.
“It saves me traveling and sitting in my car for over two hours when I need adjustments,” says Arthur.
The MoPOC program, funded by the VHA Office of Rural Health, provides a variety of benefits for Veterans like Arthur. The program adds a dedicated Prosthetist-Orthotist, an administrative support staff position, and an all-wheel-drive mobile laboratory equipped with spare parts, power tools, hand tools, and specialized equipment to facilitate comprehensive prosthetic and orthotic adjustments.
Ben Fortson, Sioux Falls VA Health Care System Orthotic Prosthetic and Pedorthic Clinical Services chief, emphasizes
the program’s capabilities: “It allows us to provide, with full compliance, all safety requirements and any service we would provide in Sioux Falls, wherever we park it.”
Every mile the MoPOC van has covered has been worth it to provide the care Veterans, like Arthur, deserve.
“Working with Ben, Jillian, and the rest of the VA staff has been great because they always make sure that I have everything I need,” says Arthur. “Not driving the extra miles is just a bonus.”
ORH Funding Acknowledgement Statement: This work was funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Office of Rural Health, NOMAD #PROJFY- 009906. The contents do not represent the views of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Government.