PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
From: The Health Wagon, 5626 Patriot Drive/P.O. Box 7070, Wise, VA 24293
Contact: Dr. Teresa Owens Tyson, DNP, FNP-BC, President and CEO (drtysonnp@thehealthwagon.org) Mobile: 276-337-6848
Date of Release: 4/9/2026
The Health Wagon and AstroAid Foundation Sign Landmark Agreement to Advance Space-Enabled Healthcare in Rural America Partnership will expand telemedicine, satellite connectivity, and innovative care delivery across Southwest Virginia
(Wise, Va.) — The Health Wagon, the nation’s oldest mobile free clinic, has entered into a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the AstroAid Foundation to collaborate on advancing space-enabled healthcare solutions for rural and underserved populations.
This strategic partnership brings together The Health Wagon’s nationally recognized leadership in rural healthcare delivery with AstroAid Foundation’s expertise in leveraging space-based technologies to improve global health access. Together, the organizations aim to pioneer innovative approaches to telemedicine, disaster response, and public health monitoring—particularly in hard-to-reach regions.
“The Health Wagon has always been at the forefront of innovation in rural healthcare,” said Dr. Teresa Owens Tyson, DNP, President and CEO of The Health Wagon. “By partnering
with AstroAid, we are expanding what is possible—using satellite technology and space-based solutions to reach patients who have historically been beyond the limits of traditional care.”
The agreement establishes a framework for collaboration across several key areas, including developing satellite-based connectivity for mobile clinics, joint pilot programs in telehealth and remote patient monitoring, and expanding the use of low-Earth orbit satellite systems, such as Starlink, to improve real-time care delivery.
“This partnership strengthens our ability to deliver high-quality, real-time care, no matter how remote the setting,” said Dr. Paula Hill-Collins, DNP, Vice President of Operations for The Health Wagon. “By integrating space-enabled technologies into our clinical model, we are not only improving access but also enhancing the precision, timeliness, and overall quality of care for the patients we serve.”
The partnership also emphasizes workforce development and knowledge sharing, with plans to host joint training programs, workshops, and international forums focused on space-enabled healthcare innovation. Additionally, both organizations will collaborate on public outreach efforts to raise awareness of how advanced technologies can improve health equity worldwide.
AstroAid Foundation Founder and CEO Dr. Ahmed Baraka highlighted the global significance of the collaboration. “The Health Wagon is an ideal partner for AstroAid’s mission to save lives through space technology—bringing innovation and compassion together through space-age healthcare solutions for everyone, everywhere,” he said. “This partnership demonstrates how space technology can be harnessed to address some of the most pressing healthcare challenges on Earth. Together, we are creating scalable models that can be replicated in underserved communities around the world, including right here in Southwest Virginia.”
The Health Wagon has long been a pioneer in integrating advanced technologies into rural care, including telemedicine, drone-assisted medication delivery supported by NASA initiatives, and satellite-enabled connectivity to overcome geographic barriers in Appalachia.
Aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals—specifically Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3) and Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9)—this collaboration reflects a shared commitment to improving healthcare access through innovation.
The Memorandum of Understanding will remain in effect for an initial term of three years, during which both organizations will pursue joint initiatives and explore additional opportunities to expand their impact.
The Health Wagon’s Dr. Jennifer Hammons, PharmD, DrPH, ADCES, Director of Pharmacy Services, and Public Health Initiatives for St. Mary’s Faith Pharmacy, is a member of the board of directors of AstroAid.
About the Health Wagon:
The Health Wagon is a nurse practitioner managed clinic that has been in existence since 1980 which provides free medical, vision and health care services along with sliding scale dental care services in Lee, Scott, Wise, Dickenson, Buchanan, Washington and Russell Counties and Norton City. For more information about The Health Wagon, please call 276-328-8850 or visit www.thehealthwagon.org. If you would like to donate to the Health Wagon, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, please visit: www.thehealthwagon.org/donate.
About AstroAid Foundation: AstroAid Foundation is an international nonprofit organization focused on applying space-based technologies to improve healthcare access and outcomes in underserved regions around the world.
Photos:
Participants on a recent zoom call celebrating the Memorandum of Understanding between the Health Wagon and AstroAid. The agreement provides space enabled healthcare solutions for rural and underserved populations in Southwest Virginia.
###