Theme 7. Clinical innovations keeping people at home and out of the hospital
Presentation Materials (Members only)
Presentation Slides: Community Paramedicine Models for Primary Care
(I) Community Paramedicine – Review of a Dedicated Model in Primary Care (FHT)
Learning Objectives
At the end of this presentation, attendees should be abIe to identify the types of patients who would benefit from visits from a Community Paramedic in (CP) their own home or community setting, understand the role that CP’s can play in community health systems including Family Health Teams, understand how the unique paramedic skill set can augment and support existing community health supports without duplicating service, and decrease reactive system utilization (9-1-1, ED visits) by taking a proactive approach to providing care for specific, at risk, patient populations.
Summary
Medavie EMS Ontario, Chatham-Kent (MEMSO-CK) is the contracted service provider for the provision of land ambulance services for the single tier municipality of Chatham-Kent. MEMSO-CK was an active stakeholder in the development of the Chatham-Kent Health Link (HL) as where directors with the Thamesview Family Health Team and Chatham-Kent Family Health who together have aproximately 60,000 rostered patients in the municipality. In a collaboration with the HL partners, MEMSO-CK was successful in receiving one time funding from the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care to develop and examine CP programs. Medavie EMS has extensive history and experience with CP programs in Atlantic Canada and the north eastern US and sought to bring some of that experience to our Ontario operations. This novel program was developed in consultation and collaboration with the the FHT’s in the region in addition to the CCAC, CHC, CKHA and medical oversight physicians from the South West Ontario Regional Base Hospital Program. Three specific referral sources feed patients into the program: HL high users as determined by a care cooridinator at CKHA, waitlisted cardiac rehab patients, and CCAC rapid response RN patients. The 2 CP’s selected for the program attended an 8 week custom CP program developed by Fanshawe College. Working in a non response vehicle, 5 days per week, the CP’s provide supportive care, health coaching using the NHS wellness index, advanced assessment and diagnostics (eg. 12 lead ECG, POC testing), fall education, end of life care planning, and consultative/advocacy link for the patient population being served.
Presenters
- Medavie EMS Ontario:
- Steve Pancino, General Manager
- Ken Langlois, Community Paramedic
- Dr. David LaPierre, Family Physician, CK-CHC
Authors and Contributors
- Lisa Richardson, Health Link Care Manager, CKHA
- Carol Kolga, Senior Research Associate, Western University
- Nancy Snobelen, Director, Chatham-Kent Health Alliance
- Denise Waddick, Executive Director, Thamsview FHT
(II) Community Paramedicine in a Rural FHT
Learning Objectives
At the end of this presentation, attendees should be abIe to identify the types of patients who would benefit from visits from a Community Paramedic in their own home, understand how to integrate Community Paramedic into a Family Health Team, understand the benefit to physicians of having a Community Paramedic visit patients on behalf of the Family Health Team, understand the importance of identifying all medications that patients may be taking including prescription medications, over the counter medications and herbal supplements, understand the limits of technology in rural communities and how to integrate community care and advocate on behalf of patients.
Summary
West Carleton Family Health Team (WCFHT) is one of the few medical service providers in Rural Northwest Ottawa, and is located in the Village of Carp, within the amalgamated City of Ottawa. The largest portion of this practice population resides in this area, a sparsely populated region that traditional home services find difficult to service. In 2014 the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care distributed $6 million dollars in Ontario to expand paramedicine programs. WCFHT was chosen to pilot a paramedicine program where extensively trained and experienced Community Paramedics (CP) are integrated into the FHT to provide patient services in their own home. This novel program was developed in consultation and collaboration with the two regional providers of Paramedical Services in Rural Northwest Ottawa. Patients accepted into this program were chosen by physicians in the FHT . The patient population includes patients with chronic diseases, co-morbidities, palliative care, mental health concerns, recently discharged from hospitals or any patient identified as at risk. The program focuses on reducing the stress on limited health services, while at the same time, improving patient’s quality of life and assisting patients to live independently in their own home. CPs provide services that are normally provided within the FHT to patients, such as but not limited to; blood pressure checks, blood glucose testing, suture removal, immunizations and a thorough identification of medications. Most importantly the CP acts on behalf of the patient as an advocate in coordinating care from community partners.
Presenters
- Bev Atkinson, Quality Information Decision Support Specialist, West Carleton FHT
Authors and Contributors
- West Carleton FHT:
- Mark Fraser, MD
- Barb Jones, Program Administrator
- Tracey Suprunchuck, Community Paramedic, City of Ottawa