It is the only home visit program of its kind in the state.
PMH Medical Center’s ambulance service provides home visits to patients who have been in the hospital, Emergency Medical Service Manager and Community Paramedic Director Brandon Fogelson said.
Similar paramedic home visit programs exist across the nation, he said.
The community paramedic program was started about four years ago with a $1.4 million Center for Medicare/Medicaid Services grant.
Fogelson said it was a three-year grant and the first six months were spent planning the program.
He said the program allows community paramedics to make home visits to patients who have been treated by a hospital for anything from surgery to diabetes management issues.
“If they have touched our hospital or our ambulance, we can be referred to them,” Fogelson said. “We average 500 patients annually.”
The purpose of the program is to keep patients from being readmitted to a hospital, he said.
“The goal is to steer them to their primary care provider,” Fogelson said.
An appointment can be made two or three days after a patient is discharged from the hospital. A paramedic visits them for follow-up and to ensure patients aren’t having difficulties with any issues they may be experiencing, Fogelson said.
For example, if the patient is having trouble managing pain or their diabetes, the paramedic can help them, he said.
“We’re trying to intervene before the patient gets too sick and has to return to the emergency room,” Fogelson said.
There is no extra expense to the patient or insurance company for the visits. The paramedics visiting patients do so during their regular shift hours.