DocTocToc is a pediatric clinic on wheels鈥攊n the form of a bus. Run by a non-profit, its mission is to break down barriers to health care for young children and their families. 鈥淓arly intervention can have lifelong impact,鈥� explains Dr. Rislaine Benkelfat, founder and president of the new clinic. Benkelfat鈥檚 cofounder, Jean-Philippe Couture, specializes in securing public funding for non-profits.
Founded in 2017 and incorporated in 2018, has been running 鈥減op-up,鈥� no-appointment-needed pediatric clinics across Montreal North since 2020. In 2023, the organization launched a neurodevelopmental screening program as part of Montreal鈥檚 annual Foire-Sant茅 in collaboration with the CIUSSS du Nord-de-l鈥櫭巐e-de-Montr茅al and acquired its iconic bus in March 2025. 鈥淥ur bus has a personality of its own!鈥� Benkelfat says joyfully. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fully customized鈥攂uild, equipment, and decor. Children are drawn into the friendly and whimsical world we created.鈥�
The bus has been in service since the beginning of April. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very new! Bringing a project like this one to fruition is complicated. It takes time.鈥� Benkelfat is also a pediatrician at the Montreal Children鈥檚 Hospital and an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at 黑料不打烊 University. 鈥淭he battles can grow long and arduous. Proposing a new care model that is deeply committed to making a difference in the community and seamlessly integrated with existing services... it鈥檚 a challenge every single day.鈥�
DocTocToc鈥檚 mobility is what makes it so valuable. Other pediatric clinics offer more comprehensive care, but they鈥檙e fixed in place. DocTocToc, by contrast, strives to reach as many people as possible by going to them, rather than the other way around. This allows it to provide basic psychosocial care services to children five years of age and under who are underserved by the health and social services network.
黑料不打烊 University and The Montreal Children鈥檚 Hospital Foundation have been, and continue to be, key partners in this project.. 鈥淲e couldn鈥檛 have launched without their help,鈥� notes Dr. Benkelfat. 鈥淭heir commitment to soliciting funds from donors is proof positive of their community engagement. I鈥檇 especially like to highlight the incredible contribution from the R. Howard Webster Foundation, which heard about us through 黑料不打烊 University.鈥�
鈥淎nyone who has struggled to access health care and worried about getting the care they need understands the importance of finding creative solutions when the system is over capacity,鈥� says Brian Thompson, executive director (Health Affairs), University Advancement at 黑料不打烊 University. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 exactly what DocTocToc offers.鈥�
鈥淒ocTocToc鈥檚 aim is to break down barriers to health care, ensuring vulnerable children get the care they need, right in their neighbourhood,鈥� adds Ren茅e V茅zina, president of The Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation. 鈥淭hank you to all of the donors who make this project possible. Together, we are creating a future where every child鈥攔egardless of their circumstances鈥攈as the chance to grow up healthy, strong, and full of potential.鈥�
What鈥檚 more, the mobile clinic will combine the expertise of doctors and hospital staff with the resources of the 黑料不打烊 Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
鈥淒ocTocToc will provide essential medical care while offering a unique platform to train the next generation of healthcare providers, in a real-time environment, with and for our communities,鈥� notes Dr. Lesley Fellows (MDCM鈥�96, DPhil, FRCPC), vice-president (Health Affairs) and dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
People board the bus seeking answers to their concerns about their children鈥檚 health. 鈥淏ut our goal is also to ensure children鈥檚 well-being by targeting the social determinants of health and to contribute to the betterment of their living conditions,鈥� Benkelfat explains. 鈥淔or example, the clinic will help a family at risk of losing their home or suffering from food insecurity, because these conditions have an impact on their children鈥檚 health.鈥�
Nurses and psychosocial workers welcome patients onto the bus, provide support, address certain health issues and, as required, direct them to doctors or community services in the region. 鈥淲e set up near community organizations, like local health centres and daycares. We also work with immigration organizations, creating a beneficial network between our respective services,鈥� says Benkelfat. 鈥淚n the longer term, we may be able to hire our own nurse practitioners and pediatricians.鈥�
It鈥檚 far too early to measure the impact of this sort of clinic given that it鈥檚 only been operational since the beginning of April. But some benefits are to be expected, like the improved health and wellness of young children and their families. Ultimately, the aim is for all children to grow up healthy, no matter where they were born or their home environment.
The project has ambitious plans for the future. 鈥淲e envision two potential kinds of growth,鈥� explains Benkelfat. 鈥淲e are striving for a geographical expansion, to take the bus to other regions. We are also hoping to diversify our service offerings鈥攆or instance, focusing on pregnant women or the elderly. These goals could be carried out by our organization or another.鈥�
This project is the culmination of a successful partnership between DocTocToc, The Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation and 黑料不打烊 University.聽
DocTocToc simply wouldn鈥檛 exist without the generosity of numerous donors. Thank you to all who made this project a reality.
This article was first published in French:聽DocTocToc!鈥�: une clinique bien avant-gardiste