Tijuana Mobile Health Outreach Clinic

Project Concern International (PCI) is a global health and humanitarian aid organization dedicated to community-led development and saving the lives of children and families around the world through integrated, holistic programming. In spring 2008, PCI partnered with the Art Center College of Design to expand and improve outreach for its mobile health care clinic program in Tijuana, Mexico. Art Center faculty members involved in the project were Robert Ball, Environmental Design; Igor Burt, Product Design; and Allison Goodman, Graphic Design.

Students were divided into four teams and challenged to find integrated solutions for PCI's mobile healthcare operations and improve on communication strategies to support the clinic's outreach in high-risk and remote communities in Tijuana, Mexico.
In the beginning of the term, students conducted research in Tijuana which involved site visits at health clinics, PCI Latin America headquarters, and a hospital. The visit allowed them to capture images, learn about the environment and available services, meet the health care workers (promotoras) and community members, and begin determining what could be improved. This field research served as an important foundation for understanding the needs of the communities and service providers. To supplement their field research, Designmatters invited guest speaker Dr. David Williams, Clinical Emergency Medicine instructor at LAC-USC Medical Center, who contributed his extensive experience with emergency aid, mobile health care vehicles, and healthcare facilities in Tijuana.
"I was very impressed by the students' ability to grasp the need and the reality of the vulnerable communities PCI serves in Tijuana, and to translate that information into realistic yet creative and much needed ideas," said Blanca Lomeli, Regional Director for North America, PCI. "For us, this was a great example of how design can contribute to furthering a (our) cause. We especially benefited from hearing a fresh, creative perspective that complements our technical one."

Each team explored a different component of PCI's operations and designed campaigns that work concurrently. Together, these projects provide for a more dynamic mobile clinic and outreach program that empowers the communities, while simultaneously satisfying the needs of current promotoras and attracting a new generation of volunteers. The final outcome is a sustainable solution to promote healthcare access and improve the overall participation and health of the community.
Due to the success of the studio, PCI invited Art Center to do a special presentation of the work to their leadership, current and prospective sponsors and promotoras, which was hosted by the San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art on May 30, 2008. A documentary film of the studio was also released in the fall of 2008. [To read the full profile of this project, click here.]