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| Mobile Health Clinic loading for shipment to Cuba. Medical Coaches' first order (ca. 1949). |
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| Founder, Ian M. Smith, reviews blueprints (ca. 1958). |
It all started in 1949 when Mr. Ian Smith had an opportunity to provide the
Government of Cuba with 40 medical coaches, thereby paving the way for what would become one
of the largest specialized mobile medical unit manufacturers in the world.
From that beginning, Medical Coaches went on to build more than 10,000
custom-designed special-purpose mobile service units for over 107 countries and all 50 United
States. After Mr. Smith's death in 1976, his son, Geoffrey Smith, took the helm as Company President.
This privately held company continues to operate under the basic pledges Ian Smith made to his
employees and customers many years ago, "to build products that we would be proud to own ourselves"
and "to treat our customers and coworkers as family." He insisted that Medical Coaches' word was
always its bond. Medical Coaches' traditions and core beliefs continue to be their cornerstones
today.
As each of the following medical advances were in the research and development stage, Medical
Coaches was closely aligned with developers and manufacturers to introduce them to the world in
mobile form. Many of the initial concepts of using mobile only as a platform for prototype
development expanded to become significant percentages of equipment sold (e.g., CT, MRI,
mammography).
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Mobile Health Clinic for CARE at work in Jordan.
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Increasing demand for "mobile health care" in domestic and overseas markets.
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Founder, Ian M. Smith inspects CARE Mobile Medical Clinic for India (ca. 1961).
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Emergence of mobile mammography as a breast-examination tool to find and
treat cancerous tumors at early, curable stages. Introduction of mobile chest X-rays to view
patients lungs and to determine a host of respiratory diseases, including tuberculosis and
cancer.
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Mobile Remote Transmission Van for Suburban Cable TV in New Jersey.
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Introduction of mobile computed tomography (CT) as an advance in X-ray
technology that produces cross-sectional, multiangled images of the body's soft tissue,
especially the brain and heart. Introduction of mobile ultrasound to perform risk-free
diagnostic tests on pregnant women and to examine the heart, breasts, liver, and gallbladder.
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Mobile Medical Waste Processing Unit for Winfield Industries.
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Introduction of mobile magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a revolutionary
advance in imaging technology that produces multi-dimensional visual images of internal body
parts in any plane to diagnose abnormalities of bone, joint, and soft tissue - as well as
injuries or tumors located in the chest, abdomen, pelvis, brain and spinal cord; without the
risk of harmful exposure to radiation. Introduction of mobile lithotripsy as a non-invasive
technique to remove kidney stones.
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Mobile PET System ready for delivery.
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Introduction of mobile positron emission tomography (PET) to view organs
and their functions, to study focal seizure disorders, to evaluate brain tumors, dementia,
and myocardial viability, and to detect coronary artery disease. Introduction of mobile
single positron emission computed tomography (SPECT) to trace blood flow and to diagnose a
patient's metabolism, especially heart function. Introduction of mobile "infectious waste
disposal units" for on-site processing. Introduction of truck-mounted x-ray inspection
equipment to scan cars, vans, trucks and trailers for illegal drugs, explosives and immigrants.
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