The Florida Department of Health has named Manatee County's Community Paramedicine Chief recipient of its 2018 EMS Injury Prevention Award. Manatee County’s Community Paramedicine Team creates a continuum of care between the patient, the physician and other resources located in the community. The Community Paramedicine Team uses evidence-based fall prevention and balance programs to reduce a patient’s risk of falling. Since the program launched in 2016, Community Paramedics have diverted nearly 600 calls for ambulances and more than 450 trips to the hospital—a diversion of $808,783 in healthcare costs.  The award will be presented July 11 during the 28th Annual Excellence in EMS Awards in Orlando. According to the DOH, the Injury Prevention Award recognizes an individual who "has demonstrated outstanding initiative and promoted best practices to prevent injuries in at least one area of injury prevention, such as motor vehicle safety, drowning, falls or burn prevention, etc."

Manatee County Community Paramedicine