What is mobile integrated healthcare?
"Mobile integrated healthcare" uses patient-centered, mobile out-of-hospital resources in a coordinated manner with physicians, hospitals, and other providers. It encompasses a myriad of potential expanded roles for EMTs, paramedics, and EMS systems, as well as collaborations with other types of providers, to provide higher quality patient-centered care and helping to prevent emergencies before they begin.
Why now?
- Out-of-hospital care systems (e.g. EMS) are increasingly sophisticated and capable of providing a wide variety of treatments.
- Telemedicine capabilities are robust, widely available and increasingly affordable.
- Health care delivery system reform is gaining momentum. Organizations are seeking innovative care models to improve health, improve quality and lower cost.
- The most vulnerable patients are already being transported by EMS.
Why should EMS be involved?
- Current role of EMS is limited to transporting all patients to emergency departments.
- Significant percentage of EMS calls and ED visits are for non-urgent conditions.
- This paradigm is costly to healthcare systems and not patient-centered.
- Health systems are facing new incentives to reduce admissions for ambulatory sensitive conditions through coordination of care as a part of health care reform.
Why New York?
- Reduce the strain on EMS and ED resources.
- Improve the quality and coordination of care provided to the public.
- Fill some of the gaps in the existing healthcare system and prevent readmissions.
- Increase the value that Out-of-Hospital Care (EMS) provides to society.