Improving postpartum care with mobile Women & Infants Hospital

On October 22, 2025, Women & Infants Hospital and CVS Health Foundation celebrated the ribbon-cutting of a new Mobile Community Health Clinic, a milestone in maternal health care for Rhode Island. This innovative initiative, made possible by a $1 million grant from the CVS Health Foundation, is designed to bring high-quality postpartum care directly to the neighborhoods where it’s needed most.

The van is more than a vehicle — it’s a lifeline. Staffed by a nurse practitioner and a community health worker, it offers screenings for postpartum depression and hypertension, contraceptive counseling, mental health support and breastfeeding assistance. It’s a simple yet powerful approach to one of the most persistent barriers in health care: access.

For the team behind the van, the mission is deeply personal. “The most rewarding part of working with our organization is knowing that the work we do truly makes a difference in the lives of patients,” shared Dr. Methodius Tuuli, MD, MPH, MBA, Chair and Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women & Infants Hospital. “It’s not just a job; it’s a mission and a life purpose to ensure our patients receive the very best of us, and the very best in care.”

The van is an extension of the hospital’s Postpartum Hypertension Equity Program, which has already reduced emergency visits through remote blood pressure monitoring. But it also fills a broader gap — improving maternal health outcomes and building trust in communities.

“We’ve been intentional every step of the way,” Dr. Tuuli explained. “From the layout of the interior to the welcoming imagery on the exterior, the van is a visual invitation that says, ‘You are seen, you are valued and you are welcome here.’”

Although the mobile clinic is just getting on the road, the team’s excitement around its launch was palpable. “Touring the finished van for the first time was surreal,” he said. “It made all our conversations and efforts real.”

For those considering using the van, the message from Dr. Tuuli and the team is clear: “This van isn’t just about bringing services closer; it’s about truly meeting our patients where they are, in a respectful, personal and simple way.”

As CVS Health Foundation’s Jenny McColloch shared during the ribbon-cutting ceremony, “Together, we’re driving real change.” And with this mobile clinic, that change is arriving — one neighborhood, one mother, one appointment at a time.