Rural mobile health care hits state

Residents in rural portions of Hardin, Jasper and Orange counties are the first planned beneficiaries of the state’s first rural mobile health care.

Oct. 24, elected representatives of the Hardin County Commissioners Court approved an agreement between Hardin County Health Services and Hardin County Emergency Services District (ESD) No. 2/Lumberton Fire & EMS to provide mobile integrated health care-community paramedic services to disadvantaged populations. The request came from Health Services Director Sharon Whitley.

“This is an opportunity to increase the level of services for clients who qualify for some medical services,” Whitley’s written request read.

“We’ve been working since March,” said Jay St. John, a 34-year veteran paramedic. “We’ve been working out and around before it was officially approved.”

According to St. John, mobile integrated health care (MIH) began in 2015 and has been established across the nation in mostly urban areas, including Texas cities such as Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Austin.

“But,” he added, “we are the first rural unit in the state.”

St. John said he and fellow paramedic, Elizabeth Stubblefield, work in a non-emergency environment.

“We try to get out there and help the underserved residents by doing medical evaluations and evaluations of their activities or daily living,” he said. “Do they need resources, food, or any help? Do they need a doctor? Can we get them a transport to the doctor, or can we get a doctor to come to you?”

St. John said they are not the “traditional lights and sirens ambulance” going to the emergency room. However, he added, “if I get there and see that the situation requires it, I will call an ambulance.

According to St. John, there are a lot of underserved people in the area served by his organization throughout the counties of Hardin, Jasper and Orange. The rural mobile health care unit is on call from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, utilizing two Ford Explorers that carry baseline equipment.

“That doesn’t mean if something comes up, we won’t make a call on a Saturday, or try to visit someone on a Sunday, if the need is really precedent,” St. John said, as the paramedics set up visits with residents as the calls come in.

“We start at the farthest point and work our way back,” St. John said of how they cover the most area. “On some days, we may see five or six people and, on other days, make one visit.”

Especially during the winter, St. John noted that some patients may not need to go to the hospital but may need to see a doctor. Disadvantaged residents in need of help can call Lumberton Fire & EMS at (409) 755-0631.

“We can get referrals from family members and different ambulance companies,” as well, according to St. John.

The funding for the rural mobile health care service is provided through a grant that ESD No. 2 and Lumberton Fire & Rescue receive from the Temple Foundation. St. John said the local service strives to be a role model for other rural areas that want to start an MIH and to assist burgeoning rural mobile health care services in becoming successful.

Some of the services provided include wellness checks, medical assessments, in-home safety and fall prevention, crisis intervention assistance, chronic disease management and education, in-home blood work, urine testing, hospital discharge follow-up, nutrition and dietary support and psychological assessments. Services for pregnant women include 12-week gestation up to 90 days postpartum, as well as well-baby checks.

MIH can also provide referrals to additional community resources, such as food acquisition.