Emergency medical personnel strive to be there for their patients during the worst moments of their lives. Cortez paramedics are now taking on an expanded role in an effort to prevent those moments from happening in the first place.
Southwest Memorial Hospital is launching its community paramedic program Feb. 1. The program utilizes paramedics to perform wellness checks on locals in their homes and at a new location downtown.
SWMH EMS Coordinator Matthew Lindsay said paramedics already know how to assess health indicators such as heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar and heart rhythm. Now locals can have those checks performed by paramedics without having to call 911.
Its taking the tradition out of it, Lindsay said. Traditionally, youre dispatched to somebodys house and lights and sirens and making a big show. And really somebody just wanted to be checked out.
The hospital will now be stationing a second ambulance and crew at 31 W. Main St. downtown, also the Cortez Police Department Community Resource Office. Between the hours of 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., these paramedics will be offering free wellness checks at the downtown office and will also be doing some scheduled in-home checks by doctor referral.
Lindsay said some individuals wait until they are in serious condition to seek health care often resulting in a more costly visit to the hospital than if they had been checked out sooner. Currently, both Cortez EMS and firefighters respond to emergency medical calls.
Its going to reduce taxing on fire districts and hopefully, well get people to where theyre not coming to the ER at three in the morning or waiting until theyre really sick, Lindsay said.
The in-home checks allow paramedics to see things doctors can not, checking for environmental hazards in the homes, such as slippery rugs, a lack of grab bars or lack of a clearly marked address on a home to guide responders in the event of an emergency.
A lot of this is actually going into peoples houses and making it safe for them, Lindsay said. You would be amazed how many people have fallen and broken their hip, and its because of a loose rug.
For example, after repeated calls for an elderly man falling and not being able to get up, Lindsay said he noticed the man had his walker adjusted too high. After lowering the mans walker, the ambulance hasnt been called to his address again.
However, the program is not intended to replace home health care, Lindsay said. Instead, its designed to fill in the gaps for those who do not qualify. Further, the community paramedics will not be a replacement for a primary care doctor or pharmacist.
The new program is similar to a pilot program already underway in Eagle County, and is aimed at reducing health care costs.
In a presentation to local responders last month, Christopher Montera, chief of the Western Eagle County Ambulance District, said the program is particularly helpful in rural areas where doctors are scarce.
Too many patients go to the emergency room for primary care, Montera said, adding as many as 80 percent of emergency room visits are for non-emergency treatment, and generally wind up costing three times more than a visit to a doctors office.
Montezuma County was recently designated as an area deficient of primary health care providers by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Wellness checks offered by the program are currently free of charge and paid for by the hospital, Lindsay said.
Weve had nothing but total support from the hospital, the CEO and the administration, Lindsay said. They understand that we want to help the community.
Cortez paramedics will still be available for emergency transports. Paramedics stationed at the the downtown community resource office can be reached at 749-9925. Any doctor can refer a patient for in-home checks.
Reach Reid Wright at reidw@cortezjournal.com