Improving access to care

Bringing care home

Rural Veterans who need a new brace or prosthesis are aware of the barriers to care. It can mean planning for a long drive to your local VA, hoping traffic isn’t too bad, and bracing yourself for hours in waiting rooms. Sometimes, you must ask a friend or family member to take the day off just to get you there. For a lot of Veterans, the hassle meant putting off care or skipping it altogether.

That’s exactly why the Mobile Prosthetic and Orthotic Care (MoPOC) truck exists. It’s not just a vehicle. It’s a promise that you matter, no matter your ZIP code.

A clinic that comes to you

With support from VA’s Office of Rural Health, the MoPOC program takes the full range of prosthetic and orthotic care on the road. Three times a week, the MoPOC team rolls into Tyler, Greenville and Granbury, Texas. It brings fittings, repairs and adjustments right to local clinics, so Veterans can get the help they need without leaving their communities.

The MoPOC truck changed the life of Army Veteran James Turner. “Before this, I had to get my neighbor to drive me to Dallas every time I needed a fitting, and sometimes I’d have to wait a month just to be seen,” he shared. “Now, VA comes to me. I can walk better, I’m in less pain and I feel like I matter.”

Care that’s local, fast and personal

MoPOC means Veterans get appointments faster, closer to home and with people who understand what service really means. The numbers are impressive. More satisfied Veterans, better access and real savings for VA. But the real story is the impact on everyday life.

Ligia Miguel-Ghaziosharif, the certified prosthetist and orthotist who travels with the truck, knows the difference this makes. An Air Force Veteran herself, she brings that same sense of mission to every appointment.

“Every Veteran who steps onto the truck is more than just a patient, they’re family,” Miguel-Ghaziosharif said. “I know what it means to serve, and I know how much independence matters. Our goal is to give Veterans the freedom to live life on their own terms, wherever they call home.”

Building trust, one visit at a time

Dr. Corinthus Pittman, who helped get MoPOC off the ground, believes meeting Veterans where they are is the real heart of the program. “This isn’t just about convenience,” Pittman explained. “It’s about honoring our commitment to Veterans by removing barriers to care. The MoPOC truck lets us meet Veterans where they are, and that means better outcomes, higher satisfaction and healthier lives.”

Veterans themselves have said it best. In a recent Journal of Rural Health study, they reported not just high satisfaction with MoPOC, but real improvements in quality of life. For many, it’s the difference between feeling left behind and feeling seen.

As the MoPOC truck travels the backroads of North Texas, it isn’t just delivering care. It’s delivering respect, dignity and the simple truth that every Veteran deserves to be remembered and cared for right where they are.