Zufall Health, one of the largest community health centers in New Jersey, unveiled its new Mobile Medical unit during a ribbon-cutting at the BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) corporate headquarters in Franklin Lakes, NJ on Thursday, September 4, thanks to a generous contribution from the global medical technology company. The health facility on wheels will bring primary care directly to people where they live, work, learn, and gather, expanding Zufall’s reach to underserved populations.

During tours of the interior, BD employees were impressed by the capabilities of the Mobile Medical.

Touting two fully equipped medical exam rooms, the unit joins Zufall’s growing fleet of mobile vehicles, including its original Highlands Health Van, which has been on the road since 2009 and logged nearly 100,000 miles. That 38-foot vehicle began showing its age in 2023 and prompted Zufall to launch a $500,000 campaign to fund a new medical mobile unit.

The campaign drew widespread support from the community, with lead backing from BD, whose $150,000 contribution was essential to ensuring Zufall’s continuity of mobile services.

The ADA-accessible, 40-foot Mobile Medical’s passenger side reflects three key populations served by the vehicle: children, older adults, and veterans.

“Purchasing and custom-outfitting a vehicle of this size in compliance with all standards requires significant time and resources, but BD’s generous donation helped accelerate our ability to advance health access in our community,” said Zufall President and CEO Fran Palm. “Our brick-and-mortar sites serve patients across seven counties, yet many—such as people experiencing homelessness, agricultural workers, residents of public housing, veterans, seniors, and school children—face challenges getting to care. Mobile services let us meet them where they are so those who need medical care most can receive it.”

Like its predecessor, the Zufall Health Mobile Medical will prioritize the populations named by Palm and will provide the same full range of services: physicals, vaccinations, same-day sick visits, well-woman and gynecological care including Pap tests, select family planning services, treatment for minor illnesses, and referrals to specialists.

Dozens of hygiene kits packed carefully by BD volunteers like Lindsay Benoza-Morales are handed to Zufall Fleet Coordinator Jorge Castro for delivery to patients via the mobile unit.

“Zufall’s mobile medical unit is an exemplary example of how innovation can bring care directly into underserved communities and help close gaps forged by social determinants of health,” said Shana Neal, executive vice president, Chief People Officer and president of the BD Foundation. “We’re proud to have the BD logo displayed on the unit as a reflection of our commitment to expand health access and advance the health of our communities – right here in New Jersey.”

Since 2013, Zufall has received more than half-a-million dollars in philanthropic contributions from BD. The health center was the recipient of the “BD Helping Build Healthy Communities Award” in 2013 and 2021 for its innovative care model in treating chronic disease among at-risk patient populations. This award enabled Zufall to expand its diabetes care capabilities and strengthen its national presence. BD has also supported Zufall’s ÁNDALE initiative, a nutrition and fitness program for children with obesity, among other projects.

The Zufall Health Mobile Medical is now in its final stages of preparation and is expected to hit the road this fall, following licensure. In the meantime, the public can expect to see it making stops throughout Zufall’s seven-county service area over the coming weeks. Watch for updates at zufallhealth.org and on Facebook and Instagram.

About Zufall Health
Zufall Health is an award-winning, nonprofit community health center providing quality, affordable, and culturally responsive care for people experiencing barriers to care. Accredited by The Joint Commission and recognized as a Patient-Centered Medical Home, Zufall serves nearly 52,000 primarily low-income patients annually, including those with Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance, or no insurance. The health center offers medical, dental, behavioral health, and supportive services and is the fifth-largest in New Jersey by patient volume and the largest by geographic reach, covering seven counties in northern and central New Jersey. Since 2016, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has ranked Zufall among the top 10% of health centers nationwide for quality. For more information, visit zufallhealth.org.

About BD
BD is one of the largest global medical technology companies in the world and is advancing the world of health by improving medical discovery, diagnostics and the delivery of care. The company supports the heroes on the frontlines of health care by developing innovative technology, services and solutions that help advance both clinical therapy for patients and clinical process for health care providers. BD and its more than 70,000 employees have a passion and commitment to help enhance the safety and efficiency of clinicians’ care delivery process, enable laboratory scientists to accurately detect disease and advance researchers’ capabilities to develop the next generation of diagnostics and therapeutics. BD has a presence in virtually every country and partners with organizations around the world to address some of the most challenging global health issues. By working in close collaboration with customers, BD can help enhance outcomes, lower costs, increase efficiencies, improve safety and expand access to health care. For more information on BD, please visit bd.com or connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/bd1/, X (formerly Twitter) @BDandCo or Instagram @becton_dickinson.

Above: Executives from Zufall Health and lead sponsor BD proudly cut the ribbon on the new Mobile Medical Unit to mark its completion. Left to right: Ami Simunovich, BD Chief Quality & Regulatory Officer and Public Affairs; Carla Burigatto, BD Chief Communications Officer; Peg Zufall, Zufall Board Member; Shana Neal, BD Chief People Officer; Fran Palm, Zufall President and CEO; Annette Gonazlez, Zufall Chief Operating Officer; David Woods, Zufall SVP of External Affairs; and Peter Wolfson, Esq., Zufall Health Foundation Board President.