Through the Phoenix Next project, Premier Heath has joined forces with the City of Dayton Fire Department to support patients with limited access to health care services. The community paramedicine program will assist Dayton residents, especially those with chronic conditions, in improving health and wellness.
A team of three professionals—a paramedic, emergency medical technician, and social worker—will visit patients in their homes and provide health assessments, safety checks, education about managing their health condition, and medical care as needed. Patients in need of in-home assistance tend to have chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or other respiratory issues, congestive heart failure (CHF), and diabetes. The community paramedicine team will help to address those chronic conditions and connect patients to appropriate resources, thereby assisting in improving patients’ health and hopefully reducing future hospitalizations and health emergencies.
The new community paramedicine program will accommodate as many as 25 patients at one time. Eligible patients will be identified through Premier Health hospitals, the Dayton Fire Department, physicians, and other health care team members. Patients may only need one visit to ensure their needs are met, or they could be enrolled for up to 30 days. The program is available to all qualifying Dayton residents, though data indicate that residents of northwest Dayton stand to benefit the most from the program. To qualify, patients must not be eligible for home health care.
Through the program, the community paramedicine team will conduct home visits and work with multiple agencies to establish additional services that a patient might need, such as Meals on Wheels or prescription delivery. Care plans will be tailored to each patient, considering their specific home environment, support, and medical needs. A steering committee is being formed of community agency representatives and leaders from across the city to assist in identifying resources that a resident might need.
While the program launched this summer, it will have a permanent home in the Fairview neighborhood utilizing the former FROC Priority Board office at 903 West Fairview Avenue.
To learn more about the program call the Dayton Fire Department at 937-333-4500.
