Resolution No. 12
COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Policy
Re: Fire-Based Community Healthcare Provider – Adopted as Amended
(AKA: Community Paramedic, Integrated Healthcare Program)
1 | WHEREAS, the provisions of the Patient |
2 | Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the |
3 | associated regulations are driving change in |
4 | traditional healthcare delivery and in local EMS |
5 | systems; and |
6 | WHEREAS, local healthcare systems are |
7 | changing to embrace the savings or avoid penalties |
8 | set forth in the ACA; and |
9 | WHEREAS, these changes can threaten local fire- |
10 | based EMS systems if they are not included in the |
11 | integrated community healthcare programs; and |
12 | WHEREAS, Fire-Based Community Healthcare |
13 | Provider Programs (FBCHP) are intended to provide |
14 | public health services to elderly, underserved, and |
15 | chronic condition-patient populations by providing |
16 | primary care as an extension of a physician; and |
17 | WHEREAS, FBCHP Programs may provide |
18 | health, assessment, chronic disease monitoring, |
19 | patient education and prescription regime |
20 | compliance, immunizations and vaccinations, |
21 | hospital discharge follow-up care, and minor medical |
22 | procedures approved by the system medical director |
23 | or patient’s primary care physician; and |
24 | WHEREAS, based on state or provincial law and |
25 | community need, FBCHP Programs may include |
26 | transport to alternative destinations such as walk-in |
27 | clinics, mental health triage, social detox facilities, |
28 | homeless shelters and in-home assistance services; and |
29 | WHEREAS, FBCHP Programs may conduct |
30 | frequent caller education and assist high risk patients |
31 | to better learn about their condition and ways to |
32 | manage it better so that they can eliminate |
33 | unnecessary hospitalizations and transports; and |
34 | WHEREAS, FBCHP Programs may also include |
35 | scheduling in-home evaluation of high-risk patients |
36 | following hospital discharge; and |
37 | WHEREAS, a FBCHP has the potential to reduce |
38 | health system expenditures, become self-sustaining, |
39 | and enhance public health and safety by supporting |
40 | the health and social welfare needs of the |
41 | community; therefore be it |
42 | RESOLVED, That the IAFF support and promote |
43 | Fire-Based Integrated Healthcare Provider Programs |
44 | designed to provide added value to local |
46 | communities; and be it further |
47 | RESOLVED, That the IAFF supports the process |
48 | of working with administrative personnel to |
49 | implement FBCHP Programs so that it is agreed |
50 | upon by both the union and the authority having |
51 | jurisdiction; and be it further |
52 | RESOLVED, That the IAFF develop resources |
53 | and services to educate and assist local affiliates and |
54 | their departments to implement successful Fire- |
55 | Based Integrated Healthcare Provider (Community |
56 | Paramedic) Programs; and be it further |
57 | RESOLVED, That these resources include |
58 | assessment of related local, state or provincial laws |
59 | for necessary changes to enable local implementation |
60 | of such programs; and be it further |
61 | RESOLVED, That the IAFF will pursue any |
62 | enabling federal legislative and/or regulatory |
63 | language changes that would be necessary in |
64 | allowing reimbursement to jurisdictions for services |
65 | delivered through a FBCHP Program; and be it |
66 | further |
67 | RESOLVED, That the IAFF assist local, state, |
68 | and provincial affiliates in developing appropriate |
69 | legislation and/or regulation language changes |
70 | necessary to allow fire-based EMS systems to |
71 | deliver services associated with a FBCHP Program |
72 | and to coordinate the eligibility for reimbursement |
73 | to jurisdictions for services delivered through a |
74 | FBCHP Program. |
Submitted by: IAFF Executive Board
Cost Estimate: None
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION: Adopt
CONVENTION ACTION: Adopted as Amended
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