Partnerships enhance CTH’s program support

Carson Tahoe Health (CTH) has been proudly supporting REMSA’s innovative Community Health Programs, including Community Paramedicine, the Nurse Health Hotline, and the Ambulance Transport Alternative, for more than two years.

CTH was excited to hear about Renown Health’s announcement to sign on as an additional supporter, as having another healthcare provider’s financial commitment will help continue to fund these vital programs for our communities.

Together, the three Community Health Programs deliver healthcare services and focus primarily on reducing out-of-pocket costs and unnecessary use of the healthcare system while strengthening the quality and coordination of care and expanding access to the right level of care.

For example, since the launch of Carson Tahoe’s forward-thinking partnership with REMSA in 2014, more than 10,000 people within our community have utilized the Nurse Health Hotline; from this group of callers, more than 50 percent of unnecessary Emergency Department (ED) visits were avoided.

Another interesting component is the number of people who called the Nurse Health Hotline who would otherwise have stayed home and tried to do self-care on their own.

As a result of intervention through the Nurse Health Hotline, the number of people who sought treatment appropriately to the ED increased; in the first year of our partnership, the number of people who would have inappropriately chosen self-care at home went from 789 to 85 as a result of receiving guidance through the Nurse Health Hotline.

Access to care is a leading concern, both within our community and across the nation. Carson Tahoe is dedicated to providing the best possible access to care, and our alliance with REMSA continues to make an invaluable impact on the health and well-being of our region. We appreciate our partnership with REMSA and the collaboration of other healthcare organizations to sustain these crucial services in our community.

For more information, please visit www.carsontahoe.com/nurse-healthline.

Ed Epperson is president and CEO of Carson Tahoe Health.