Mobile healthcare clinics can help people live longer, healthier lives while also reducing healthcare costs, according to new research by Durham University Business School.

The study also shows that mobile clinics are particularly effective in managing chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease - conditions that require ongoing monitoring and early intervention to prevent serious complications. By bringing healthcare directly to communities, mobile clinics overcome barriers such as long travel distances, limited local medical infrastructure, and high hospital costs.

The research was conducted by Fang Liu, Professor of Operations Management at Durham University Business School, alongside colleagues from City University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and the Southwestern University of Finance and Economics.

The team used a disease progression model combined with real-world case study data from a mobile clinic programme in a developing country. Their findings indicate that when mobile clinics operate on a 12-week schedule, they can increase healthy life years for patients by almost 120 per cent while reducing overall healthcare costs by around five per cent.

The study highlights that mobile clinics are most effective when hospital treatments are expensive relative to community-based care, when diseases progress rapidly, or when populations have limited access to regular healthcare services.

Even when accounting for uncertainty in treatment effectiveness, healthcare costs, and disease progression, the results remained robust, confirming the real-world reliability of mobile clinic interventions.

“This research demonstrates that mobile clinics can provide a true win-win: better health outcomes for patients and lower healthcare costs for the system,” says Prof Liu. “For communities far from hospitals, mobile clinics offer accessible, affordable, and effective care that can prevent disease complications before they become severe.”

The researchers recommend that policymakers in developing economies consider scaling up mobile clinic programmes, particularly in rural and underserved areas. By improving access to early diagnosis, regular monitoring, and timely treatment, mobile clinics can strengthen healthcare systems, reduce pressure on hospitals, and improve overall population health.

The study also provides insight into optimal operational strategies, including the ideal frequency and capacity of mobile clinic visits to maximise patient outcomes while controlling costs. Policymakers and healthcare administrators can use these findings to make informed decisions about deploying mobile clinics in resource-constrained settings.