How community paramedics in Oregon fill gaps in care and reduce visits to emergency departments

The Hermiston Herald recently profiled Jessica Marcum, a community paramedic at Umatilla County Fire District #1, about her job helping patients in the region. Unlike paramedics who respond to emergencies, community paramedics work to keep patients out of emergency rooms by providing in-home health services, from medication management after a hospital stay to making referrals for mental health services. Although community paramedics are found throughout Oregon, their impact is especially felt in rural areas. A recent study by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University found that community paramedics in Central Oregon reduced visits to the emergency department by nearly 14%. We hear from Jessica Marcum and Sabrina Ballew, the Mobile Integrated Healthcare Manager at Mercy Flights in Medford, about the role community paramedics are playing to bridge gaps in care and improve health outcomes in Southern and Eastern Oregon.