May 10, 2022 – The University of Florida Mobile Outreach Clinic received a $100,000 first-place award in the program category from the Florida Blue Foundation at their 2022 Sapphire Awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 4, in Orlando.

The clinic received the award in recognition of its impactful programming over the past 11 years that has provided best practice medical care and social service care coordination at no cost to low-income citizens who do not have health insurance. In 2021, the clinic increased access to telehealth, built a “street medicine program” to provide care for the unsheltered homeless, increased the number of community health workers and continued its daily clinic care.

The Mobile Outreach Clinic delivers health care services to the medically underserved in low-income neighborhoods and rural areas of North Central Florida. Volunteers and care coordinators work together to perform social determinants of health assessments on each patient, which are used to create a customized care plan to address their unique social needs.

“We’re thrilled to be recognized at the state-level for the great work everyone is doing at the Mobile Outreach Clinic,” Harrell said Grant Harrell, M.D., a UF College of Medicine assistant professor and medical director of the UF Mobile Outreach Clinic. “Our amazing team that’s so well organized and works so well together is the reason we received this honor. Sometimes we have a tendency to get caught up in the work that we don’t take the time to celebrate successes, and this is a good reminder to take that time to celebrate.”

The Florida Blue Foundation is the philanthropic affiliate of Florida Blue, the state’s Blue Cross and Blue Shield plan. At the Sapphire Awards, seven programs, organizations and individuals were selected who make a meaningful impact in their communities related to advancements in health equity.

“As a mission-driven company focused on helping people and communities achieve better health, we believe everyone deserves to have an equal opportunity to achieve their full health potential,” said Susan Towler, executive director of the Florida Blue Foundation. “By recognizing and rewarding excellence and innovation in those addressing the big issues in health equity, and collaborating with others in our state, we can advance solutions and remove barriers that will help improve health care access and strengthen the communities we serve.”