Factors to consider when buying a mobile health unit.

Purchasing a mobile unit to deliver healthcare services can be an expensive undertaking, and there is little information in the literature on planning or designing these vehicles. The authors discuss guidelines to help nurse administrators make better decisions regarding the purchase of mobile health units (MHUs). The guidelines resulted from a synthesis of the literature, correspondence with the chief executive officers of firms that manufacture MHUs, and onsite visits to agencies with an MHU.