Brian Meader, Operations Manager for Medic Ambulance, is set to receive the “Innovation in EMS Award” on Dec. 2 from the Emergency Medical Services Authority of California. Meader and eight other individuals are being recognized for their work in educating and training paramedics as part of a new pilot program in California for community paramedicine.
“I’ve always loved EMS,” Meader said. “This is right up my alley. ... Not many people can say they’re a community paramedic, especially one of the first pioneers in California. I think it’s a great program just because it’s exciting and new ... (and) this is going to be the forefront of paramedicine.”
The program has been launched in different communities in the nation, but is now being brought to California thanks to medics like Meader, who are working on educating the EMS community in the state. Rather than merely being reactive to medical emergencies and calls, community paramedics are instead following up with patients after they’re discharged from hospitals. During these home visits, paramedics will spend time with patients, “going over everything,” Meader said.
“We’re spending one hour, two hours (with patients) and we’re going over everything: What they’ve been diagnosed with, each of their (medications), why they take them, how much they take them, do you know why you take them?” Meader said of his conversations with patients. “... Education is a big thing and going in there and explaining not only their medications, but the disease and the disease process.”
Although in the initial stages, Medic Ambulance has begun to work with 11 patients who have been discharged from NorthBay Healthcare for treatment.
Focusing on chronic heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients — many of whom are at risk for returning to the hospital for their recurring health issues — Meader is among six community paramedics that do in-home visits in Solano County. This program was among just 12 pilot programs that were approved in the state and works on keeping patients healthier, rather than keeping them in a cycle of return visits to the hospital.
Lou Meyer, project manager of Community Paramedicine-Mobile Integrated Healthcare with the Emergency Medical Services Authority of California, said in a phone interview that while the overall project began two years ago, the work of training took place this year.
“The awards are being given to the educators who worked to coordinate and train the paramedics in this new role in being a community paramedic, which required additional education,” Meyer said. “They’re being recognized for their work in getting able to move this program forward with the appropriate training — and this is brand-new in the state.”
Jimmy Pierson, Medic Ambulance’s vice president of operations, said that the program will be a way of delivering “integrative healthcare” and bringing together a hospital and an EMS service to help a patient get healthier.
“That’s why getting this award is so innovative, because it’s a new way of delivering healthcare in a new age of healthcare,” Pierson said.
“I can’t thank Brian enough for what he’s doing for the program,” Pierson later added. “For us as our (pilot) team, it’s a team effort. ... This innovation award, the education that they did, we couldn’t be where we’re at without that and Brian ran it flawlessly and so did the other educators.”
“It’s going to do wonders for our community,” Meader said of the program. “... Any heart failure or COPD patient that we can get in and help is a win for the community, a win for us.”
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©2015 Times-Herald (Vallejo, Calif.)
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