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Office of the County Manager <br />Memorandum <br />Date: September 19, 2016 <br />Ref: EMS Touchstone Silver Award <br />Recognition of EMS in collaboration with Carolinas Healthcare System for receiving the <br />Touchstone Award Silver Level for the program "Closing the gap: Integrating paramedics in <br />stroke patients transitioning home ". The program was launched as a study using 2014 and 2015 <br />data as a joint project by CHS- Northeast and Cabarrus EMS to identify the impact of the <br />integration of Community Paramedics into the stroke care continuum. <br />The report states: "Despite a 13% increase in stroke patient volume from 2014, the stroke <br />program realized a 24% reduction in observed versus expected readmission rate in 2015. This <br />reduction represents 21 avoided readmissions in the stroke population with cost avoidance of at <br />least $210,000.00. The impact of integrating Community Paramedics into a transitional care <br />program coordinated through Stroke Navigators shows a significant impact on reducing 30 -day <br />readmissions, a key measure of clinical efficiency. The team acknowledges the positive <br />outcomes actualized by the program would not be possible without full commitment and <br />accountability by every team member. The Community Paramedics transitional program was <br />extended to both congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients at <br />Carolinas HealthCare System NorthEast later in 2015. Replication in other patient populations <br />and other counties may have a significant impact for both patients and hospitals focused on <br />improving similar outcomes." <br />The award was presented recently at the Carolinas Healthcare System Touchstone Awards <br />service. It represents the impact possible when collaboration with healthcare systems occurs. A <br />difference was made for the citizens of Cabarrus County and patients of CHS- Northeast. <br />65 Church Street SE (28025) • P.O. Box 707 Concord, NC 28026 -0707 <br />Phone: 704.920.2100 • Fax: 704 20 2820 <br />A? number 1 \n <br />Website: www.cabarruscounty.us <br />C -2 Page 36 <br />