The DocTocToc bus, decorated with cheerful orange characters, is equipped like a standard pediatric clinic but on a smaller scale. It includes an office, a waiting room, and an evaluation room, adorned with images of trees, parachutes, and balloons of all colors.

Dr. Benkelfat, a pediatrician at the Montreal Children’s Hospital and an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at McGill University, came up with the idea for this project in 2017, pondering how to make care more accessible for vulnerable families.

The clinical team of the bus will consist of a psychosocial worker and a clinical nurse. The worker will be able to assess the needs of families and help them navigate the healthcare system, while the nurse will be able to receive children for walk-in consultations, vaccinate them, and carry out regular follow-ups at different stages of development.

Some families will also be able to have scheduled consultations when referred to the clinic by community organizations.

The project was made possible through a partnership between DocTocToc, McGill University, and the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation

The mobile clinic aims to receive about six to eight patients per day, with a personalized approach allowing families to open up and receive care tailored to their needs.

Dr. Benkelfat emphasizes the importance of identifying issues requiring intervention as early as possible, in order to address all the needs of children, including those related to physical health and living conditions.

By offering a pediatric mobile clinic, DocTocToc contributes to reducing health inequities and improving access to care for vulnerable children in Montreal.

This innovative initiative demonstrates the organization's commitment to the health and well-being of young children, while facilitating access to essential services for fragile families.