The Montana Department of Health and Human Services is piloting what it is calling Community Integrated Health programs around the state in an effort to alleviate an overburdened health care system.
DPHHS ponied up about $300,000 of federal and private funding to run the programs for the next two years, including a local version administered by St. Peter s Health
Commonly referred to as community paramedicine, the concept has been implemented around the country in one form or another since the 1970s. It is a different care delivery model that allows emergency medical services workers to provide in-home care for patients who do not need to make a visit to the hospital, simple things such as drawing blood or monitoring patients with chronic illnesses.