Leaders partner to continue community paramedicine programs

By EMS1 Staff

RENO, Nev. — Renown Health and the Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority (REMSA) have announced an innovative new alliance to improve the overall health of the region through a proactive system of healthcare services focused on doing the most good for the most people at the least amount of cost.

These Community Health Programs deliver healthcare services and focus primarily on reducing out of pocket costs and unnecessary use of the healthcare system while strengthening the quality and coordination of care and expanding access to the right level of care. REMSA predicts that continuing these innovative programs will have an economic impact of $1.6 million over the next year through savings to the community.

By minimizing and avoiding costly ways of accessing healthcare such as unnecessary emergency room visits, hospital admissions, hospital readmissions, and ambulance transports, there is more opportunity to provide proactive and necessary healthcare.  

At the center of this alliance are three leading-edge programs — the Nurse Health Line, Community Paramedicine and the Ambulance Transport Alternative. The three programs comprise the REMSA Community Health Programs and were launched in 2012 through a three-year, $9.8 million Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Healthcare Innovation Award. Preliminary outcomes from the Community Health Programs show that they continue to facilitate healthcare access and reduce costs with more than 6,200 emergency room visits avoided, over 1,000 ambulance transports avoided and more than $9.6 million in savings to patients and the healthcare system.

After receiving an extension for a fourth year under the current funding amount, the program's grant funding concluded this past summer.

Going forward, thanks to this new alliance, the three programs will be financially supported by Renown. This is an unprecedented partnership based on a commitment from Renown, the region's largest integrated health network, to REMSA, the region's largest integrated emergency medical services provider.

"These programs are vital to creating healthy communities by giving people access to services they might otherwise not know how to access," said Dean Dow, president and CEO, REMSA. "Renown's commitment to this partnership allows all three programs to continue and for the Nurse Health Line to be available to all citizens in the region." 

The formation of this relationship ensures that these pioneering programs will transition from being shorter-term, grant-funded innovations to comprehensive and lasting systems built to optimize the health of many people in the region. With the aligned goal of promoting health by expanding access to the right level of healthcare at the right time, these programs reinforce Renown's and REMSA's work to improve the overall health of the community.

Improving health across the region by strategically and proactively managing clinical and financial opportunities is a key outcome of partnerships like this. Population health management delivers care in a proactive system focused on making care better, more efficient and more cost-effective. 

The Community Health Programs are an example of how delivering care that is managed and measured at the population level can lead to longevity, quality of life, and an increase in delivering care in to populations that need it most, thereby improving the health of people with undermanaged conditions and shifting the focus to prevention and wellness efforts.

"Renown is committed to improving the health of the community, which means more than just providing quality healthcare," said Anthony D. Slonim, MD, DrPH, president and CEO, Renown Health. "It means going outside the hospital walls, offering programs and services that make a lasting difference in the health and well-being of families throughout our region. This can only be accomplished through collaboration with partners who share the vision of a healthier northern Nevada — partners like REMSA."

REMSA is successfully achieving long-term financial sustainability for these programs through partnerships like this. REMSA is working with a growing number of partners and insurers to develop ongoing support for these new services. 

"The emerging data indicates these programs are having a significant positive effect on the health of the community, especially in underserved neighborhoods," said Kitty Jung, Chair, Washoe County District Board of Health and Chair, Washoe County Commission. "The Washoe County Health District applauds Renown and REMSA for creating this strategic partnership addressing the healthcare needs of our region."

Since the Community Health Programs launched in 2012, a variety of community partners contributed to their success including hospitals, clinics, fire services, EMS oversight entities, urgent cares, health centers and non-profit and community groups.

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