Community Health Program
Walton County Fire Rescue was the first in the panhandle of Florida to introduce a Community Health Program. This mobile integrated health program is free for all Walton County residents and consists of trained, licensed medical professionals who respond to certain EMS calls for service and provide home visits for patients with non-emergency needs.
Through education and scheduled visits, The Community Health Program provides patients with in-home care that they had previously obtained through emergency room visits. The program also allows patients to connect with doctors from the comfort of their own home using telemedicine. With assistance from our medical professionals, patients can participate in virtual doctor visits using Tele911. During these virtual appointments, doctors can provide patient evaluations, prescribe prescriptions, or direct Walton County Fire Rescue nurses with proper patient treatment as needed.
The Community Health Program limits the number of 911 calls made, keeping EMS providers available to respond to emergency calls while also providing community members with easier access to medical care and minimizing healthcare costs.
Patients can sign up for the Community Health Program by calling our non-emergency line at (850) 892-8111 and requesting to speak with a home health nurse or sign up online by filling out the form below. If you have any questions or for more information about Walton County Fire Rescue’s community health program, please email [email protected].
COMMUNITY HEALTH PROGRAM TARGET PATIENT POPULATIONS
Frequent Falls– The program seeks to mitigate fall risks by providing in-home safety assessments and fall prevention education.
Mental Health / Substance Abuse – The program seeks to identify patients that would be better served outside the emergency room setting and redirect these individuals to the appropriate community resource(s).
Diabetic Patients– The program provides nutritional and disease management education to diabetic patients to prevent unnecessary calls for emergency responders.
Congestive Heart Failure / Chronic Respiratory Conditions – Ensuring proper medication compliance, nutrition, and education on disease management for patients who are diagnosed with congestive heart failure or other chronic respiratory conditions.
High System Utilizers– The Community Health program provides guidance to patients who previously used the 911 system and emergency medical services for primary care concerns. Medical professionals provide education for patients and help align them with primary care resources available within the community.