Initially conceived of as a method to address healthcare needs of underserved rural populations, mobile integrated healthcare and community paramedics and is a new model of inter-Dash professional, community-based outpatient healthcare delivery that utilizes the resources and training of EMS to fill gaps in local healthcare infrastructure expanding existing scopes of practice in most cases will not distracting from acute transport capabilities.
While some of these programs have been around since the mid-1990s, the COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly accelerated the addition of new programs across the United States. Over the past few months here in Alaska, more than 150 COVID-19 patients who required hospitalization were able to be discharged up to three days early and followed up by EMS personnel in the community. This freed up hospital beds to the tune of approximately 500 hospital days saving both patients & hospitals the added cost!
You might ask, what can an EMS person do for a patient in the community? During COVID-19, our personnel were able to go out and provide regular daily assessments of patients conditions, administering breathing treatments and other medication has required assistance with follow up appointments to ensure that patients receive the high quality care through recovery.
Recently, patients and Cooper Landing have experienced a significant shortage of availability in home healthcare staff. Due to the nursing shortage and high demand for home healthcare, the vet the availability of those services is often times three months or longer. Patient to require urgent follow up cannot wait for that period of time. As we continue to grow the community para medicine and mobile integrated healthcare program here in Cooper Landing, we look forward to providing additional services to the members of our community. We are fortunate to have volunteer nurses, paramedics and other BLS and ALS personnel who can assist in this endeavor. Why do you need assistance managing your prescription medication, regular monitoring of vital signs blood pressure and blood sugars, or other healthcare related services, we look forward to helping fill the gap ensuring a timely continuum of care.
EMS agencies in the United States are no longer just providing 911 and transport services. We are a very critical member of the healthcare team ensuring continuity of patient care across the continuum. If you would like more information on this program, please contact Clay Adam at Cooper Landing Emergency Services at 907–595–1800.
