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Dear Colleagues,
Thank you for actively working with us to safely keep patients at home. Over the past two months, we have received several high-risk, acute life-threatening emergent cases ranging from pregnancy-related complications to heart attacks and strokes. Our current transport rate (40%) is higher than average due to a higher acuity patient population.
Prior to Community Paramedicine Activation, please remember to:
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Reference our Emergency Clinical Care Criteria list. Here is the link to download the list. The criteria were created using evidence-based medicine and internal data, serving as a guide for what medical conditions are most likely life-threatening (and will require hospital transport with traditional EMS). If you feel that a patient is having a life-threatening emergency please consider calling 911 before Community Paramedicine to avoid any delays with the patient's care.
- Activate Community Paramedicine for patients with non-life-threatening conditions. Examples of conditions:
- Feeling unwell (but still able to walk)
- Feeling dehydrated and nauseated with occasional vomiting
- Fall from standing height without head trauma
- Cough +/- fevers, chills, and body aches
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Shortness of breath with wheezing -- but can still speak in full sentences and has no complex history of heart or lung problems (such as prior blood clots or heart attacks)
Important to Note: Community Paramedicine Response Time Extended
Moving forward the Community Paramedicine (CP) service will extend expected response times from 60 minutes to approximately 2-3 hours.
This change will allow us to:
- Uphold the highest quality care standards for addressing urgent (not emergent) cases appropriate for CP.
- Account for health staffing shortages across New York City.
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Set more clear expectations for our patients, caregivers, and referring providers as our census grows.
Training Requirement
Providers must receive training in order to activate Community Paramedicine. If providers in your practice are in need of training, would like a refresher or have any questions, please email the Community Paramedicine Team.
Thank you for reviewing this information to ensure your patients receive the appropriate medical care they need in a life-threatening emergency.
Sincerely,
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