A Blueprint for MIH-CP Success + 2 Program's Wins

Table of Contents

• Trivia!

  • STOP ASKING IF MIH WORKS!!!!!!

  • 5 Examples of Successful Community Paramedicine Programs

  • Vashon Island Fire & Rescue Expands MIH Through Health Care Partnership

  • Lifeline to Your Doorstep: Huron’s Paramedics Get Forever Funding

Stop!

STOP ASKING IF MIH WORKS!!!!!!

A new JEMS editorial by Dr. Orlando Rivera calls on insurers, CMS, and Medicaid programs to stop delaying reimbursement for Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) services. Drawing on data from MedStar Mobile Healthcare in Texas and the Minnesota Department of Health, Rivera shows how MIH programs have reduced 911 calls by up to 80 percent, lowered hospital readmissions by 50 percent, and improved patient satisfaction.

Despite clear results, many payers still refuse to fund treatment that happens outside hospital transport. The article criticizes CMS for ending the ET3 model without a replacement and urges payers to update outdated definitions that prevent EMS innovation. Rivera warns that without reimbursement, MIH programs and the skilled professionals behind them will struggle to survive. His message is clear: MIH has proven its value, and the time to fund it is now.

Examples

Five strong examples of community paramedicine (MIH-CP) programs: Colorado Springs, Crawfordsville (IN), Durham (NC), Chesapeake (VA), and Tulsa (OK). Each one shows how collaboration, clear goals, and local adaptation can make a measurable impact. Colorado Springs’ CARES model runs diverse outreach efforts for homeless residents, inmates, older adults, and frequent 911 callers.

Crawfordsville emphasizes prevention and partnerships through initiatives like Project Swaddle and chronic disease management. Durham targets non-emergency 911 calls by identifying super-utilizers and connecting them to care. Chesapeake focuses on fall prevention and patient follow-up, while Tulsa’s co-response team has reduced repeat 911 calls by 70 percent. Together these programs demonstrate that success in MIH-CP depends on strong partnerships, community assessments, and data-driven improvement.

New Program

Vashon Island Fire & Rescue (VIFR) and the Vashon Island Health Care District (VHCD) have approved plans for a major partnership to strengthen the island’s Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) program. Beginning in 2026, VHCD will provide up to $715,000 annually to sustain and expand MIH services, with an immediate $250,000 boost to support the remainder of 2025 operations.

The funding allows VIFR to reallocate tax revenue toward core fire and EMS needs while maintaining MIH’s home-based health care, chronic disease management, and social service navigation. The MIH team, now including a full-time physician assistant, nurses, and a social worker, has already completed 1,076 encounters with 413 patients since launching in early 2024.

The agreement comes as VHCD reevaluates its reliance on DispatchHealth, whose future on the island is uncertain following corporate changes. Together, VIFR and VHCD aim to ensure sustainable, locally anchored care for Vashon residents amid federal health funding pressures.

Donation

UVA Health’s Community Paramedicine team has received a major boost thanks to a vehicle donation from Carter Myers Automotive. The gift of a new 4×4 vehicle will allow paramedics to reach patients in rural and hard-to-access areas more efficiently, expanding the program’s ability to deliver in-home care and reduce unnecessary emergency visits.

UVA’s Community Paramedicine initiative focuses on helping high-risk and chronically ill patients manage their health outside hospital walls. With improved mobility, the team can provide more timely follow-ups, medication checks, and wellness assessments across Central Virginia. UVA Health leaders say the donation reflects the power of local partnerships in improving community health and addressing gaps in rural care access.