Community Paramedic Program

About the Program

Category: Health (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

PITT COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA’S COMMUNITY PARAMEDIC PROGRAM is a new and innovative approach for emergency services to reach and engage residents outside the scope of the normal healthcare system. Residents who lack the necessary resources to gain access to healthcare often misuse and overutilize local emergency services. As a result, these services become overburdened with a high rate of non-emergent calls that often do not warrant ambulance transport or hospital admission. The Community Paramedic program is a unique initiative that expands the traditional EMS/paramedic role to provide healthcare and services to underserved populations lacking access to physicians, hospitals/clinics, pharmacies and other related resources. The program provides clinical care, coordination of and connection to services, and patient education within the patient's home environment. By providing an “at-home” level of care, the program decreases the number of unnecessary 911 calls, ensuring that ambulance resources are available for true medical emergencies, as well as improves the healthcare of underserved residents and reduces costs for all parties involved.