JEMS seeks to reach out

Local EMTs and paramedics are testing new techniques to engage with the community and help keep patients healthy.

The initiative has led to the implementation of follow-ups with patients after their discharge from the hospital and better feedback from physicians.

John McFarland, training officer for Jay Emergency Medical Service, said the initiative is a trial run of a shift toward community paramedicine.

When patients are transported by the ambulance service to Jay County Hospital or other area hospitals, sometimes they may not have all their questions answered or concerns alleviated once their stay has ended. Following up with patients has allowed emergency medical service employees to help prevent future issues and ensure patients know that their well-being is the chief concern of the community’s medical community.

“Our overall goal is to make sure patients don’t slip through the cracks,” McFarland said. “After a patient visits the emergency room, they may not have gotten all the answers. They may get home and not know who to ask.”

By following up, McFarland and other shift leaders can help ensure that patients get in touch with different resources that they may not have known were available to help them.

In one recent case, a patient was unable to acquire the prescription medication she needed after a health incident. The result was a trip back to the emergency room only a few days later. McFarland recently followed up with the patient to check that she had gotten the prescription filled.

“Hi this is John McFarland, the paramedic that picked you up a week or two ago, how are you doing?” McFarland asked the patient.

After a brief phone conversation, McFarland was able to verify that the patient was able to get her prescription medication and was taking it as instructed.

Eric Moore, executive director of Jay Emergency Medical Service, said changes are a conscious attempt to get paramedics and EMTs out into the community in visible and helpful ways.

“Everywhere, EMS has done a horrible job teaching the community what we do,” Moore said. “We’re hoping to get out there and paint the picture. And to encourage people to get involved in our work.”

But the patients follow-ups aren’t the only change that has been implemented. Doctors now submit detailed reports to the ambulance service after a patient has been treated in the hospital, allowing EMTs and paramedics to see if they treated the patient properly and correctly diagnosed the medical problem.

“As soon as we get it we post it for the crews. Then you know if you had this patient,” McFarland said. “It gives us all of our times, how we did, some feedback on the call … That gives us some validation of yes you did what was needed in that situation.”

In addition to changing the way it deals with patients, Jay Emergency Medical Service is also part of a partnership with Pregnancy Care Center to inform parents of safe sleep practices for infants.

The program helps prevent sudden unexpected infant death (SUID), by providing information of safe sleeping habits for infants and connecting parents with resources for their child.

Ultimately, the changes are a move to build a closer bond with the community.

“We don’t want to be strangers showing up to someone’s door on the worst day of their life,” Moore said. “We are all vested in this. We want them to trust us to come into their homes … We’re a tool for you.”