Duke Endowment Supports UNC Health Nash’s Transitional Care Efforts
Community Paramedics Blake Willey, Devon McCroskey, and Herbert “Teal” Jacobs
The Duke Endowment has awarded a grant to the UNC Health Nash Foundation to facilitate the expansion of the hospital’s Community Paramedic Program, which offers needed assistance to vulnerable patients discharging from the hospital. This initiative will build upon the program’s established success and strengthen its outreach efforts.
The Community Paramedic Program provides at-home care to high-risk patients up to four weeks following a hospital stay, enhancing recovery outcomes and reducing readmission rates. These ongoing wellness interventions empower patients to manage their own health through education, ensure proper follow-up with primary care, and connect them to various outpatient resources to support their health and well-being. Currently, the program has four full-time paramedics covering three counties. During a typical visit, paramedics will review a patient’s discharge medications, check their blood pressure, listen to their heart and lungs, and discuss their findings with the patient’s care team. In 2023, the program completed a total of 5,436 visits.
The Duke Endowment has awarded a three-year grant of approximately $145,000 per year to launch new in-home services and employ two new paramedics certified in heart failure care and diabetes education and care. Patients will soon be able to communicate with their provider through virtual visits, facilitated by their community paramedic, while live assessments of the patient’s vitals can be used to make recovery and nutritional determinations. The new paramedics will be trained to educate patients on how to monitor their glucose, as well as provide disease-specific food education.
“Diabetes and heart failure are the most common diagnoses in our region and come with high risk for hospitalization if not managed properly,” said Devon McCroskey, UNC Health Nash Community Paramedic. “This is a great opportunity for us to go into their homes and meet them where they are to provide education and resources in a way they understand.”
While the support of The Duke Endowment will aid the Foundation’s goal of implementing new, measurable ways of addressing social determinants of health in the areas of heart health and diabetes, the majority of the Community Paramedic Program relies heavily on donor support to ensure that other patient care needs are met. According to Kathleen Fleming, Director of the UNC Health Nash Foundation, generous donors who support the Foundation fund patient resources such as paramedics to help manage care, transportation to follow-up appointments, medication assistance, and proper medical equipment to support treatment and recovery.
“As the Community Paramedic Program is just one piece of the transitional care puzzle, individual donors and grant funding such as The Duke Endowment are both critical for helping provide the support needed to expand and sustain transitional care services beyond the walls of the hospital,” Fleming explained.
“We’re grateful for the support and the opportunity to grow our reach to help care for more patients and their families,” said Cassi Rodgers, UNC Health Nash Population Health Manager. “With support from the hospital, community, and The Duke Endowment, we will continue to expand into areas of need that have not yet been reached.”
While the primary goal of the Community Paramedic Program is to assist patients in managing their health safely and effectively from home, it also helps reduce emergency room volumes and hospital readmissions. With one paramedic making 25 home-visits weekly, 100 patients per week are currently able to manage their recovery from the comfort of their own home rather than through readmission. Thanks to generous donors and the support of the Duke Endowment, this number is projected to increase to 150 patients per week.
“The Community Paramedic Program is uniquely positioned to see first-hand the environments that patients live and work in when they leave the hospital. Our community paramedics have the opportunity to see into a patient’s pantry as they educate on heart-healthy diets, sort medicine planners, and explain the importance of why specific medication needs to be taken in the AM or PM or with or without food,” said Rodgers. “It’s an exercise of trust to allow people into your home, and our program has built a lot of that with our community over the last few years. That’s why we are excited to see this program grow and impact the health and well-being of more people in our community for years to come.”
“The Duke Endowment is proud to partner with UNC Health Nash Foundation to expand its community paramedic program,” said Chris Collins, associate director of the Health Care program area at The Duke Endowment. “Having access to these types of essential services is critical, especially for more at-risk patients in rural areas, and will provide individuals with an opportunity to maintain the best health possible as they manage their recovery at home.”
For those interested in supporting the UNC Health Nash Foundation and being a part of its impact in the community, visit the Foundation website at www.unchealthnashfoundation.org or contact Kathleen Fleming at kathleen.fleming@unchealth.unc.edu or 252-962-8583.
About The UNC Health Nash Foundation
Established in 2000, UNC Health Nash Foundation serves as the fundraising arm of UNC Health Nash to strengthen hospital services and improve the health of our community. Financial contributions to the UNC Health Nash Foundation help provide the resources necessary to maintain the highest level of patient and family support, while also investing in medical technology and equipment, facilities and community health resources. For those interested in supporting the Foundation, and the Community Paramedic Program, visit the UNC Health Nash Foundation’s website at www.unchealthnashfoundation.org or contact Kathleen Fleming at kathleen.fleming@unchealth.unc.edu or 252-962-8583.
About The Duke Endowment
Based in Charlotte and established in 1924 by industrialist and philanthropist James B. Duke, The Duke Endowment is a private foundation that strengthens communities in North Carolina and South Carolina by nurturing children, promoting health, educating minds and enriching spirits. Since its founding, it has distributed $4.5 billion in grants. The Endowment shares a name with Duke University and Duke Energy, but all are separate organizations.
