Mass General Brigham is launching three new “Community Care Vans,” building on a COVID-era innovation to bring more high quality care for medical conditions, substance abuse treatment and risk screenings directly to high-need communities, the hospital announced Monday morning.

“As the COVID pandemic stabilized, the vans have served as a test case to show us that if we build it, people will come,” said Dr. Priya Sarin Gupta, Medical Director for Community-Based Clinical Programs.

Evolved out of COVID-era pop-up clinics and mobile care, the vans are designed to “meet people where they are” and currently provide services for hypertension and diabetes care, substance use disorder, and social risk mitigation. Over three years, Sarin Gupta said, the vans have served about 25,000 patients.

The program has long-existed in retrofitted shuttle buses, said Sarin Gupta, but the three vans launched Monday bring in new “high quality care” designed to match the brick and mortar clinics. The vehicles bring in new clinical spaces, reception areas and a telehealth component, allowing patients who may not otherwise have digital access to do virtual doctors visits.

The current services and location schedule are highly data driven, said Sarin Gupta, informed by which “health conditions are disproportionately contributing to mortality” in the Greater Boston communities.

Within the vans, staff provide blood pressure screenings, hypertension management, diabetes care and more, Sarin Gupta said. They also provide clinical care, risk reduction education and clean supplies for substance use disorders and screen for things like food or housing insecurity and connect people with resources.

The goal, Sarin Gupta said, is to “catch the patient and then really help them address whatever comes up” rather than handing them off to the next person.

Vans are parked at various locations, including local parks, nonprofits, apartments and shelters, for various time slots throughout the day spanning from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

In addition to reviewing data, Sarin Gupta said, the team regularly talks to over 100 community partners to decide where to go and reach out to underserved communities.

“The idea is to be able to reach those people that maybe are working all day, or have multiple jobs, or have other reasons for why they can’t get into their doctor’s office,” Sarin Gupta said, noting the vans are out on weekends and after work hours.

The program intentionally brings in staff who are bilingual and may be from the communities they’re serving, Sarin Gupta said. The vans offer ready access to the six most commonly spoken languages in the Greater Boston area and all languages through interpreter services.

“One very positive response we’ve gotten from the community is that folks who maybe had a mistrust for the health system or felt they didn’t understand what they were supposed to do with their particular chronic condition,” Sarin Gupta said, “through the culturally humble care that we’re bringing, they’re able to feel a little bit more empowered around their health.”

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Going forward, Sarin Gupta said, the teams are looking at expanding into other common health needs including maternal health and cancer screenings.

A schedule of where the vans will be can be found on Mass General Brigham Community Care Van page. Upcoming locations include Dorchester, Peabody and Lynn on Tuesday and Lynn, Salem, Roxbury and Boston on Wednesday.