A Model for Better Community Healthcare

​REMSA,​ ​the​ ​Regional​ ​Emergency​ ​Medical​ ​Services​ ​Authority​ ​based​ ​in​ ​northern Nevada,​ ​has​ ​released​ ​a​ ​new​ ​comprehensive​ ​White​ ​Paper​ ​that​ ​provides​ ​detailed​ ​information​ ​on its​ ​highly​ ​successful​ ​Community​ ​Health​ ​Programs.​ ​These​ ​nationally-acclaimed​ ​programs​ ​were launched​ ​in​ ​2012​ ​after​ ​REMSA​ ​received​ ​funding​ ​​ ​through​ ​a​ ​$9.1​ ​million​ ​Health​ ​Care​ ​Innovation Award​ ​grant​ ​from​ ​the​ ​Center​ ​for​ ​Medicare​ ​&​ ​Medicaid​ ​Innovation,​ ​part​ ​of​ ​the​ ​U.S.​ ​Department​ ​of Health​ ​and​ ​Human​ ​Services.

The​ ​White​ ​Paper​ ​describes​ ​the​ ​planning,​ ​implementation​ ​and​ ​results​ ​of​ ​REMSA’s​ ​approach created​ ​via​ ​the​ ​grant​ ​to​ ​achieve​ ​the​ ​goals​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Institute​ ​for​ ​Healthcare​ ​Improvement’s​ ​Triple Aim:​ ​improving​ ​the​ ​quality​ ​and​ ​experience​ ​of​ ​care,​ ​improving​ ​the​ ​health​ ​of​ ​populations​ ​and reducing​ ​the​ ​per​ ​capita​ ​cost​ ​of​ ​healthcare. The​ ​programs​ ​effectively​ ​targeted​ ​underserved​ ​populations​ ​in​ ​the​ ​region,​ ​reported​ ​high​ ​levels​ ​of patient​ ​satisfaction,​ ​created​ ​new​ ​levels​ ​of​ ​partnerships​ ​with​ ​other​ ​entities​ ​in​ ​the​ ​region​ ​and achieved​ ​an​ ​84​ ​percent​ ​return​ ​on​ ​investment​ ​(ROI).

FirstWatch is proud to be one of REMSA’s three key technology partners: ​First​Watch,​ ​for​ ​performance​ ​measurement​ ​and​ ​program​ ​outcomes, Zoll,​ ​a​ ​patient-centered​ ​community​ ​paramedic​ ​electronic​ ​medical​ ​record and Priority Solutions, for​ ​evidence-based​ ​protocols​ ​for​ ​nurse​ ​triage​ ​of​ ​low​ ​acuity​ ​calls.​​ ​​ ​​ ​​

The​ ​White​ ​Paper​ ​was​ ​made​ ​available​ ​at​ ​the​ ​EMS​ ​World​ ​Expo​ ​on​ ​October​ ​16​ ​and​ can be downloaded here.

A​ recording of the ​November​ ​1​ ​webinar​ ​on the white paper hosted​ ​by​ ​EMS1,​ ​featuring​ ​Brenda​ ​Staffan,​ ​COO of​ ​REMSA,​ ​and​ ​previous​ ​director​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Community​ ​Health​ ​Programs​ ​at​ ​the​ ​time​ ​of​ ​their creation​ ​at​ ​REMSA can be viewed here.