Geometry modeled with Rhinoceros
Renderings produced with Adobe Photoshop
Drawings and diagrams produced with Grasshopper and Adobe Illustrator

Possessing one of the world’s leading economies and highest expenditure on health care, the U.S. epitomizes inefficiency and waste within the medical field. The provision of primary health care within the United States is called into examination as the catalyst of failure. 

Nevada was chosen as a case for study due to its national ranking as one of the most underserved states in primary health care.

Geographical features and large swaths of government protected regions in the state leads to high disparity in population density between counties, a large part of the central-northern areas stand medically underserved. With the already severe lack of primary health workers in the U.S, Nevada’s distribution of appropriate health care is exacerbated by the scarcity of geographical accessibility to both patients and workers.

The design and distribution of portable pre-fabricated telehealth booths was chosen as a point of study. sites range from education or business institutions, large-scale events or conventions, vacant parking lots or public parks. The American mega-store is chosen as a sample site - such structures are already distributed to serve existing populations. Though certain branches of mega-stores do have pre-existing pharmacies and general practioner offices, they still rely on a disparate and immobile workforce.

By utilizing light-weight small-scale deployable prefabricated modular stalls that connect patients virtually to participating institution or healthcare worker in the country, pre-existing infrastructure (megastores, school campuses, office buildings) can be taken advantage of; each booth can be transported, assembled, deployed, as necessary with low overhead costs whilst fully utilizing already existent trained labour.

As the telehealth booths employ self-handling diagnostic tools which are sanitized after every patient, the geographic necessity for fully qualified primary health general practitioners is eliminated. Geographical demand is increased for qualified health workers, who are not only more abundant, but also much easier to train.

By more tightly integrating medical infrastructure with virtual means of interface, the relationship between patient and practitioner is redefined. The advent of peer-to-peer, pay-for-performance services throughout various industries questions the static inefficient nature of our most basic infrastructures. When the extents and accessibility of information and communication is so far-reaching, how can best utilize disparate expertises to better serve our communities?