When an elderly couple in town was unable to travel to the clinic for follow-up care after a hospital stay but hesitant to receive care away from the hospital, Hereford Regional Medical Center delivered the care they needed thanks to the community paramedicine program.

The community paramedicine team alleviated the couple’s concerns by demonstrating its commitment to providing care to patients wherever they are. Over time, the team earned the couple’s trust, becoming a relied-upon resource for care, help, and support. The team connected them with the health care and other services they needed and regularly calls and visits the couple at their home to ensure they continue receiving the care they need.

“If it wasn’t for this program, this couple would not have received the care they needed,” said Terri Hazlett, EMS Director for Deaf Smith County Hospital District.

The community paramedicine program exhibits the spirit of the Hereford Regional Medical Center team, which extends beyond the normal reach of traditional health care. Working together, the community paramedicine program goes that extra mile, providing better outcomes, forming lasting relationships with patients, and ensuring patients get the care they need when they cannot reach the hospital.

Deaf Smith County Hospital District CEO Jeff Barnhart sums up the program this way: “Whether it is providing access to a social worker, getting patients to doctor visits, or even connecting people with a local food bank, we’re committed to building trust with our community by showing them that their health matters to us.”

Learn more about the community paramedicine program and see it in action here.