The Medical University of South Carolina launched a mobile van to provide transcranial magnetic stimulation to patients in rural communities, The Post and Courier reported June 16.
TMS can be an effective treatment for patients with drug-resistant depression, MUSC physicians told the news outlet. Performing the stimulation in consecutive sessions can help strengthen healthy connections. However, these treatments are mostly available in clinics in large cities.
MUSC equipped a van with TMS equipment that can be plugged into any clinic where the van stops. Patients can receive six sessions a day for five days without having to leave their community.
MUSC plans to treat about 20 patients with the mobile unit before publishing the results. If successful, the system will look at finding funding for more vans.
