Mobile Integrated Health Program Grown

In January 2017, the Crawfordsville Mobile Integrated Health Community Paramedicine Program (MIH) was launched through a grant provided by the Indiana Department of Health and partnership with Franciscan Health Hospital-Crawfordsville as an extension of the Crawfordsville Fire Department. MIH is a growing, innovative approach to how the EMS system works as part of the overall public health system. It is a patient-centered model of care delivered in a patient’s home or in a mobile environment and connects public safety, public health, and health care.

The Crawfordsville model was the first of its kind and served as a pilot program and blueprint for other mobile healthcare services around the state and country. The goal is to acknowledge the struggles of receiving quality healthcare in communities and bridging that gap between a need and a necessary public service.

The Crawfordsville MIH program has come a long way since that beginning. These programs focus on all types of prevention rather than relying on reaction to problems, expand the traditional scope of emergency care to encompass a variety of healthcare resources, and reduce adverse outcomes and disparities. The MIH model is now concentrated into four divisions. These include Project Swaddle, Substance Use Disorder and Quick Response Team, Chronic Disease Management and Vaccination and Immunization.

Project Swaddle is a home-visiting program that provides community paramedicine services as an extension to a mother’s primary physician to reduce poor maternal health outcomes and deliver wrap-around care for pregnant women and recent mothers who face any number of health, social, and environmental challenges. The goal of this program is to improve the lives and health of both mother and child by providing prenatal and postpartum healthcare and expanding the traditional scope of emergency care to include mental and physical wellness, education, and resources for new parents.

The Quick Response Team works to combat substance use, behavioral health-related issues, and falls in our community by working on prevention efforts, responding to emergency incidents, and working with evidence-based community initiatives to ensure every individual has access to the appropriate resources needed for successful care and recovery.

The Chronic Disease Management division was created to support and extend primary health services for heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, and diabetes to Crawfordsville’s underserved populations. The division creates individualized plans to improve an individual’s overall health, including active lifestyle choices, improved nutrition, and medical compliance to help the patient maintain a wholly healthier lifestyle.

Lastly, immunizations are the newest in the MIH programs.  Historically, vaccinations and immunizations have been administered either through a primary care physician or the local health department. This program expands both accessibility and availability to a wider audience, including school-aged children and homebound adults.

These programs partner with Franciscan Health, community stakeholders, and through the support of grant funds under the Crawfordsville Fire Department to make integral healthcare and resources available to underserved individuals in our community. For questions or to learn about participating in these services, call (765) 362-1277 or visit the Fire Department’s Mobile Integrated Health page on www.crawfordsville.net.