New EMS Program to Deliver Free, In-home Medical Care
Harris County ESD 48 Fire-EMS announces an enhanced Community Paramedic program to help our neighbors, friends, and family. Our response and community efforts have been and will remain focused on emergency response along with care and prevention of COVID-19. We also know during this pandemic, access to primary and urgent medical care needs have been increasingly difficult. On a daily basis, we see patients unable or unwilling to go to the hospital, clinic, or physician’s office. In an effort to help and care for our community, the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) division, in conjunction with our medical direction team and community partners, is now offering an enhanced community paramedic program to assist those in need.
Our group of advanced practice paramedics will be available from 8 am-8 pm, 7 days a week, to help guide our community and patients to the most appropriate health care destination. Working closely with EMS physicians, we will be able to respond to calls and initiate care and work with patients and families through a variety of referral options:
- Virtual and Tele-Medicine
- Referral directly to established or new primary care providers
- Urgent Care
- In-patient Rehab or Skilled Nursing facilities
- Assist with medication refills and medical equipment needs or social needs such as food assistance
- Non-emergent mental health counseling services
- Medical care and medication assistance for those who are uninsured
Our team encourages community members to contact our community program at 832-739-6514 for assistance from 8 am to 8 pm. Community members are urge to call 9-1-1 for emergencies, and in the event the need for emergency room or hospital transport is needed, our crews will quickly and safely deliver care.
For the full story published in the Houston Chronicle, click here.