WOSU Public Media reports that veterans see mobile TMS units as one way to address limited access to the FDA-approved treatment in rural parts of Ohio.
Mobile access idea for rural Ohio
WOSU Public Media / The Ohio Newsroom reports that transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS, is not easily accessible in some rural parts of Ohio. The report says veteran Dirk Harkins believes mobile units could help bring the treatment closer to people who live farther from available services. The mobile-unit concept is presented as a potential way to address an access challenge, not as an enacted statewide expansion.
According to WOSU Public Media / The Ohio Newsroom, TMS is an FDA-approved treatment for people with medication-resistant depression and anxiety. The source says TMS uses magnetic pulses to stimulate nerve cells in the brain. It also reports that the treatment is FDA-approved for medication-resistant depression and anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder and smoking cessation.
Veteran program described
WOSU Public Media / The Ohio Newsroom reports that Ohio is one of only a few states with a government-funded TMS program for veterans, first responders and law enforcement officers with mental illness. The source identifies this program as a route through which certain eligible groups can receive TMS treatment.
The report describes the experience of Mark Smith, the Harrison County Jail administrator and chaplain. According to WOSU Public Media / The Ohio Newsroom, Smith developed depression and anxiety after a severe case of COVID in 2021 and received TMS. As a veteran, Smith received the treatment for free, the source reports.
Rural availability remains an issue
WOSU Public Media / The Ohio Newsroom says that, despite the state-supported program described in its report, TMS remains difficult to access in many rural parts of Ohio. The source links the discussion of mobile units to that geographic barrier, particularly for veterans who may need to travel to reach treatment.
The report does not say that mobile TMS units are currently operating across rural Ohio. Instead, it describes Harkins’ view that such units could help improve access where the treatment is not readily available, according to WOSU Public Media / The Ohio Newsroom.
What this means for Ohio patients
For people trying to find TMS treatment locally, rural availability may be a practical concern, according to WOSU Public Media / The Ohio Newsroom. The directory lists 91 published clinics in Ohio and can help patients identify local treatment options.
This is general information, not medical advice.
More Ohio reporting on rural access.
This report is educational and is not medical advice. Coverage, availability and eligibility can change; verify details with the named source or your care team.