Community Paramedic Program

Overview

The Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Department Community Paramedic Program (CP) is a healthcare innovation designed and committed to provide quality care, improve residential health, and lower costs for patients ensuring high patient satisfaction.

The program places a specially trained and experienced paramedic on 8-hour daily shifts for five days per week tasked to conduct house visits to patients who have used the emergency 911 system as a primary source for healthcare.

Community Paramedic Program Target Patient Populations

The Coral Springs Fire Department selects patients from four groups:

  1. High System Utilizers.

    The program includes all patients that regularly depend on the 911 system and Emergency Department with the intention to educate and align the patients to primary care resources that are available within the community.

  2. Special Medical Needs Patients.

    The program seeks to ensure quality care for those members of the community who have unique medical needs including transportation to a specialized hospital not available at the local emergency room.

  3. Frequent Fall Patients.

    The program works to educate members on fall prevention and mitigation through in-home safety assessments.

  4. Post-Hospital Discharge Patients.

    The program is committed to following up with patients who have been discharged from the hospital after having been admitted for conditions such as congestive heart failure, pneumonia, heart attacks and asthma.

Patients who sign up will be enrolled in the program and their care will be coordinated by the Coral Springs Fire Department Community Paramedic, the patient’s primary care physician and the Fire Department’s Medical Director.

Additional services under the Community Paramedic Program

  • Baby Safe Sleep
  • Drowning prevention education
  • Safe bicycle riding
  • Car seat safety
  • Hurricane prep education

FAQ

What is the community paramedic program?

The Coral Springs Community Paramedic Program focuses on providing social services, including home health referrals, access to durable medical equipment, hospice referrals, and efforts to prevent hospital readmissions. The program also emphasizes fall prevention, Baby Safe Sleep training, homeless outreach in collaboration with the Coral Springs Police Department (CSPD), and department-wide training on various topics.

Additionally, the program is responsible for maintaining the vulnerable population registry, keeping an updated list of local assisted living facilities, organizing hurricane preparation meetings for local seniors, conducting fire safety meetings in partnership with Community Risk Reduction (CRR), and coordinating senior outreach efforts with the CSPD Community Liaison department.

What services are provided?

The Community Paramedic Program offers a variety of services, including home safety evaluations, medication reconciliation, home health referrals, hospice referrals, and connections to veteran assistance programs. Additional services include fall risk assessments, access to durable medical equipment, Baby Safe Sleep training, nutrition assistance, post-discharge follow-up, mental health resources, substance abuse treatment referrals, and transportation assistance.

Who benefits from the program?

The Community Paramedic Program benefits individuals with limited access to healthcare, those managing chronic conditions, individuals recently discharged from the hospital, and those in need of in-home health support. Additionally, the program serves residents who frequently rely on the 911 system as their primary source of medical care.

Does it cost money?

We do not bill for visits or services provided.

Do I need insurance?

You do not need insurance to utilize our community paramedic services.

How do I make an appointment?

You can call us at 954-344-5932 or email us at THunter@coralsprings.gov.

Can a community paramedic do blood work?

The community paramedic can do a basic blood test that can provide real-time results to further enhance patient care.