By Sarai Logan, American Red Cross Public Affairs

Premier Mobile Health Services is a purpose-driven organization in Lee County, Florida, which offers quality healthcare services to marginalized and medically vulnerable communities. Premier works to increase accessibility to healthcare by combating barriers such as cost and transportation.

To facilitate access, Premier operates a full-service mobile unit to meet residents where they are and offers their services for free or at a reduced cost. Premier aims to bridge healthcare gaps and reduce disparities, which will enable individuals to receive the care they need and improve their quality of life.

Leading the charge behind Premier is its CEO and founder, Dr. Nadine Singh, a board-certified and doctorate-trained nurse practitioner with over 10 years of experience. Dr. Singh has a deep passion for healthcare, disease prevention and health equity, which has shaped the mission and success of the mobile-health clinic.

Dr. Singh was inspired to establish Premier in 2018 after meeting an individual suffering from kidney failure and hypertensive issues. The individual had no insurance and lacked access to healthcare, contributing to delayed treatment and declining health. This encounter sparked Dr. Singh’s desire to make a difference.

“With my life savings, I bought the mobile unit and went out in the community giving care. From school and sports physicals, all the way up to disease education and prevention to management,” she shared.

Premier’s services extend to providing on-site labs, imaging and follow-up care. Some of the most common health concerns the clinic encounters on a day-to-day basis include high blood pressure and diabetes.

By collaborating with other organizations, Premier is able to extend its reach and impact. A key partnership was established in April 2024 with the American Red Cross through the Community Adaptation Program (CAP).

CAP partners with community organizations focused on health, housing and hunger to foster more resilient communities in disaster-prone regions. The program’s primary objective is centered on enhancing the ability and resources of a community organization to enable them to provide greater access to health, nutrition and housing services for underserved communities.

In return, these partners commit to working with the Red Cross during and after disasters to support vulnerable communities and help combat disaster-induced poverty.

“We were asked to become partners because the Red Cross recognized and valued the influence and impact we were having in our community,” said Dr. Singh.

Through the CAP partnership, the Red Cross has supported Premier by refurbishing a mobile health clinic. Additionally, the Red Cross has supported Premier during multiple hurricane responses last year by helping to distribute critical supplies throughout the community.

“The Red Cross was on the ground with us. Helping us to meet the needs of our population who were in dire distress,” she said.

Additional enhancements from the Red Cross that have furthered Premier’s initiatives include strategic planning services, medical equipment, including x-ray and imaging equipment and a storage unit to house their supplies. These enhancements have enabled Premier to continue delivering essential healthcare and critical imaging services to at-risk groups in Lee County, improving access to vital medical care before, during and after disasters.

Cindy Magnuson, Community Disaster Risk Reduction Manager in the Red Cross in Lee County, shared that “Premier brings the mobile clinic to multiple other Community Adaptation Partner sites, allowing residents in communities across Lee County to receive medical services at the same places that they are accessing food pantries and wrap-around supports. Partners working together in this way increase their ability to meet the needs of those they serve.”

Dr. Singh emphasized the importance of support from the community partners and donors in helping Premier expand its mission.

“An organization like us, that is so small, needs the big brothers and big sisters to help us sustain our mission because 80% of care happens within the community. And if we can continue to take care of our community, then we can continue to prevent them from being hospitalized and enable them to receive lifesaving care in the community versus end-of-life care in the hospital,” she said.

Collaboration with partners across communities is essential in preparing for, responding to and recovering from disasters. By working together with local organizations that support underserved populations, we can expand our reach and help alleviate human suffering.