How Community Health Programs are Reducing 911 Calls and Helping Patients Before Emergencies

What if fire and EMS services could do more than respond to emergencies? What if they could prevent them, protect their people, and enhance the health of communities? Community health programs are doing just that, and they’re redefining how agencies serve their cities and towns.

Community health programs provide proactive solutions to challenges such as frequent falls, chronic conditions, or the needs of underserved populations. By identifying and addressing gaps in care, these initiatives reduce 911 calls, prevent hospital readmissions, and align resources more effectively to improve patient outcomes.

In fact, research shows that mobile integrated health-community paramedicine programs can lead to a 44% reduction in emergency department visits, easing the burden on fire and EMS while improving response times for high-acuity emergencies.

Thinking beyond the emergency

At the heart of community health programs lies a simple yet vital question: What problem are we solving? For many agencies, it’s not just about reducing call volume or costs; it’s about addressing social determinants of health that contribute to frequent emergency calls.

A data-driven approach is key to making an impact. Agencies that analyze call volume, patient demographics, and repeat patient occurrences can identify patterns and prioritize efforts where they’ll have the greatest effect. 

Some programs have found that high-utilizer patients, who make up a significant portion of EMS calls with 75% of patients transported to the ED reported to be low acuity according to one U.S. study, benefit most from long-term, structured interventions rather than one-time emergency responses. 

For example, Naperville Fire Department’s Community Advocate Response Team, piloted in 2022, focuses on determining the root cause of a situation when responding to a call. Instead of defaulting to hospital transport or release, they typically treat patients on scene and connect them to community resources for preventive care. The result of this forward-thinking approach? Residents saved more than $5 million in 2024.

By also consolidating patient data and streamlining referrals, agencies can more effectively track and manage individuals with chronic conditions, improving outcomes while conserving resources.

Collaboration with hospitals, insurance providers, and social services strengthens these initiatives, aligning goals and sharing knowledge to enhance patient care. Many agencies, like the Willimantic Fire Department, have expanded their programs by integrating social workers, community resource coordinators, and even transportation services to reduce barriers to care.

Why community health programs thrive on partnerships

No agency can address community health challenges alone. Building partnerships with hospitals, insurance companies, food banks, police departments, and other organizations allows agencies to pool resources and fill gaps in care. These collaborations help align efforts, reduce duplication, and ensure patients receive comprehensive support.

For example, some agencies partner with local law enforcement to share patient lists and identify individuals in need of additional care, while others collaborate with housing authorities to prevent evictions or with transportation services to ensure patients can access medical appointments.

A Health Affairs study found that addressing social factors like housing and transportation can significantly reduce emergency service utilization, reinforcing the value of partnerships in community paramedicine.

Other community paramedicine programs have introduced benefits coordinators to help patients navigate insurance and social services, ensuring high-utilizer callers receive ongoing support beyond emergency interactions. These efforts reduce the strain on emergency services while improving long-term outcomes for at-risk populations.

These partnerships not only lead to more efficient programs but also build trust within the community. By leveraging a diverse network of resources, fire and EMS agencies can create a stronger safety net for those they serve.

Community health in action

Some programs are making an immediate difference. For example, Albuquerque Fire Rescue launched a pediatric follow-up initiative to monitor newborns discharged with oxygen. By visiting these patients at home, the team reduced hospital readmissions and supported families during critical recovery periods.

Substance use disorder is another key focus of many community paramedicine programs. In Ocala, Florida paramedics deliver buprenorphine directly to patients recovering from opioid overdoses, providing daily check-ins and support to aid in their recovery.

Many agencies are seeing measurable success in reducing emergency calls and improving patient outcomes. With added benefits coordinators and mental health support, the programs have improved patient outcomes while easing the strain on emergency services. Its success highlights the impact of proactive community health initiatives.

What’s next for community health?

Community health programs aren’t just about improving outcomes — redefining how fire and EMS agencies serve their communities. By focusing on prevention, collaboration, and data-driven innovation, these programs are ensuring resources are used more effectively and patient care is proactive rather than reactive.

For agencies looking to start or expand a community health program, harnessing data is key. Centralizing patient records and conducting longitudinal analysis, tracking progress, and automating referrals allow departments to provide more targeted interventions, leading to fewer emergency calls and hospital readmissions.

But success doesn’t just depend on better technology, it also requires a well-trained workforce. Programs like Central Washington University’s EMS Paramedicine program are preparing the next generation of paramedics are preparing the next generation of paramedics with real-world experience in mobile healthcare, ensuring they have the skills to support preventive care and community paramedicine.

By learning from successful models, investing in workforce development, and strengthening partnerships, fire and EMS agencies can build sustainable community health programs that change lives, before an emergency ever happens.

Photo: pablohart, Getty Images

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