Mobile Integrated Health
Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) and Community Paramedicine are exchangeable terms utilized to
describe a reasonably new concept of integrated field healthcare Boundary Ambulance Service has
adopted in Boundary County. Currently we have three Paramedic level providers that have completed
an additional one year certificate program from Idaho State University as Community Paramedics. This
program utilizes both Paramedic and EMT level providers to deal with individual cases that do not fit
into the typical 911 emergent framework. Historically, Emergency Medical Services respond to calls that
were dispatched through the 911 emergency system.
Lieutenant Michaela Burt MIH Coordinator
.
Throughout the years we have recognized trends
that with a little assistance could have been prevented, or may have been better served using alternate
modalities other than an expensive and unnecessary transport to the hospital. The goal is to minimize
unnecessary hospital visits as well as provide much needed assistance and education in the homes of
our patients. The MIH program that Boundary Ambulance has developed is a project that is molded to
specifically fit the needs of Boundary County. So far it has been working very well and due to its rising
success we hope this program can make a positive difference in the lives of many of our residents. It has
already benefited hundreds of people that may have otherwise struggled to get answers to their
questions and the proper care they needed.
This program is designed to work with all local resources and often receives its contacts in a variety of
ways that do not meet the traditional standards of Emergency Medical Services. Though we still meet
people in need during times of crisis, we have also had local medical clinics, and the Hospital Emergency
Department mention our program to their patients and connect them with our outside services when
they recognize the need for non-emergent help that may benefit the patients overall outcome.
Occasionally a concerned family member may contact us and ask if we can help with their loved one
living in the area. Sometimes we just simply find people who have needs because their situation seems
to fall through the cracks of our healthcare system.
The MIH program providers are trained in helping
with evaluating homes to identify injury hazards to minimize or prevent injury. We can assist your
primary care providers with in home issues for patients who are unable to leave their homes. We can
connect people going through mental health issues with appropriate resources to provide assistance.
Our providers can be a liaison for people who need home health and palliative care, or provide further e
ducation of their health conditions and medications. Quite often we find individuals are confused
about how the healthcare system operates and feel lost so they just give up trying. This leads to those
patients not seeking the care when they really need it. We want to help! Our service is always done with
the consent of the patient, and the sole purpose of providing them with options to live their lives safer
and healthier. We place extremely high value on personal rights and privacy and truly see this program
as an opportunity to get to know our community better as well as do our part to keep this a great
community to live in.
2020 MIH Numbers
Total patient’s seen in 2020 by the MIH program: 31
Chief complaints seen: COVID-19, failure to thrive and COPD.
Average Age: 71 years old
Hypertension Clinic: Due to COVID-19 we were unable to continue our weekly hypertension clinics at the court house and the South Boundary Fire station. However we hope to restart them as the situation allows.
