Community Paramedicine – Models and Innovations

These stories feature model programs and successful rural projects that can serve as a source of ideas and provide lessons others have learned. Some of the projects or programs may no longer be active. Read about the criteria and evidence-base for programs included.

Effective Examples

Livingston County Help For Seniors

Updated/reviewed May 2020

• Need: Meeting the health needs of geriatric patients in rural Livingston County, New York.
• Intervention: The Help for Seniors program was developed and using its 'vodcasts,' local EMTs were trained in geriatric screening methods and health needs treatment.
• Results: In addition to developing a successful model for educating EMS personnel, the program screened over 1200 individuals and identified various risks among the geriatric population.

Other Project Examples

Mobile Integrated Healthcare Network (MIHN)

Updated/reviewed October 2024

• Need: To bring preventive care and other services to rural Missouri patients with chronic illnesses and difficulties accessing primary care.
• Intervention: Community paramedics and community health workers make home visits and provide basic care, home assessments, and medication reconciliation and facilitate telehealth visits.
• Results: Patients experienced improved access to care, health status, and compliance with medication regimens along with increased patient engagement, satisfaction, and access to community resources.

Queen Anne's County Mobile Integrated Community Health (MICH) Program

Updated/reviewed April 2024

• Need: To connect patients to resources in order to reduce use of emergency services, emergency department visits, and hospital readmissions.
• Intervention: Patients receive support (by in-person visit, phone call, or telehealth visit) from a paramedic, community health nurse, peer recovery specialist, and pharmacist.
• Results: Between July 2016 and March 2024, the program made 1,098 patient contacts and continued to see a reduction in emergency department and inpatient visits and costs.

Project Swaddle

Added August 2023

• Need: To reduce poor maternal and infant health outcomes and improve access to prenatal and postpartum care for at-risk pregnant women and recent mothers in Crawfordsville, Indiana.
• Intervention: A home visitation program that uses community paramedics to deliver wrap-around care to women experiencing high-risk pregnancies and/or social and environmental challenges.
• Results: Since 2018, more than 200 women have been served by the program.