RESEARCH: Developing a Public Health Quality Tool for Mobile Health Clinics to Assess and Improve Care

Mobile clinics don’t just expand access, they deliver high-quality, community-centered care. Our research in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health highlights the Public Health Quality Tool (PHQTool), a practical, evidence-based framework for mobile programs.

The PHQTool is grounded in a nationally recognized public health quality framework developed by leading experts, including Peggy Honore, former Director of the Public Health System, Finance and Quality Program, and Dr. Howard K. Koh, Assistant Secretary for Health, both at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Donald Berwick, former Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Developed with frontline partners nationwide, the PHQTool helps mobile care teams assess their work, identify priorities, and improve efficiency, equity, and outreach — without losing the responsiveness that makes mobile care unique.

As care increasingly moves beyond clinic walls, this research shows that rigorous quality improvement and mobility can coexist, proving that mobile clinics can meet high standards without adopting hospital-centric models.