title: Mobile Integrated Health Care and Community Paramedicine: An Emerging Emergency Medical Services Concept.
abstract: Mobile integrated health care and community paramedicine are models of health care delivery that use emergency medical services (EMS) personnel to fill gaps in local health care infrastructure. Community paramedics may perform in an expanded role and require additional training in the management of chronic disease, communication skills, and cultural sensitivity, whereas other models use all levels of EMS personnel without additional training. Currently, there are few studies of the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of mobile integrated health care and community paramedicine programs. Observations from existing program data suggest that these systems may prevent congestive heart failure readmissions, reduce EMS frequent-user transports, and reduce emergency department visits. Additional studies are needed to support the clinical and economic benefit of mobile integrated health care and community paramedicine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI. Electronic address: bchoiemdoc@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Bryan Y
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blumberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI.
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000488:Allied Health Personnel; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000639:trends*; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000639:trends*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008952:Mobile Health Units / Q000639:trends*; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce