NY pilot program expands services paramedics can give patients
The pilot program already has more than 60 EMS agencies who participate.
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A new state law is expanding the services paramedics can give patients.
The Community Paramedicine law is a two-year pilot program that allows paramedics the ability to contract with hospitals, provide health care services at home while reducing visits to the emergency room – saving hospitals money.
The law is an extension of a COVID-era executive order that allowed frontline EMS workers the ability to deliver COVID vaccines and administer COVID tests at patients homes.
"We've reduced the rate of return dramatically by seeing the patients at home, taking away the fear that they need to go running back to the hospital,” said Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corporation’s David Raizen.
More than 60 EMS agencies statewide are participating in the pilot program to deliver the services.
Lawmakers say if the two-year pilot program is deemed successful, they will push to make it a permanent statewide program.
