Washington County Ambulance District New Rural Health Network Development Grant

Potosi – Washington County Ambulance District has announced that they have been awarded a new Rural Health Network Development Grant.

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) awarded this grant to Washington County Ambulance District through the Department of Health and Human Services. This is a 4-year grant project for Rural Health Outreach and Rural Network Development. The network development will expand Mobile Integrated Health services into Reynolds County, Missouri through a network partnership with Missouri Highlands Health Care Health Care and Reynolds County Health Department.

“This network development will bring valuable and much needed health care services to Reynolds County,” said Justin Duncan, Chief at Washington County Ambulance District.

Network Director

Samantha Morgan, has been named the Network Director to oversee this Grant Project. Ms. Morgan has 5 Years’ experience with Washington County Ambulance District. She has experience in pre-hospital care, focusing on underserved populations. Ms. Morgan has also served as the champion for Washington County Ambulance District’s STARS program that works to ensure patients with medically complex diagnoses have a comprehensive team of caregivers who have extensive knowledge of their medical condition and related care plans. Ms. Morgan has also served W.C.A.D. in the roles of Lieutenant and Captain.

Mobile Integrated Health is . . .

Mobile Integrated Healthcare Network (MH-MIHN) is a local system of healthcare system that focuses on whole person care with a unique clinician providing face-to-face care. In this model a mobile integrated health clinic team delivers medical services and a care coordination program. In Reynolds County, the emergency medical services (EMS) are frequently utilized for non-emergency needs for primary care-treatable conditions. This utilization has created a burden for the local healthcare community as the services provided by EMS and the emergency department (ED) are expensive and inefficient for patient outcomes.

In Missouri, new MIH Networks are supported by a state network that will provide resources and support, including efforts to sustain MIH Networks long-term. Each of the participating partners provide distinctive expertise, which will help the network better address gaps in care, assist their organizations in acclimating to the evolving health care environment and improve social determinants of health by addressing relevant health care needs identified by the Missouri Highlands Health Care MIH Network.

Community Impact

The Missouri Highlands Health Care MIH Network is a patient-centered, innovative delivery model offering on-demand, needs based care, and preventive services, delivered in the patient’s home or mobile environment. Community paramedicine is an evolving field in rural areas to reduce inappropriate EMS use, hospital ED utilization, and healthcare costs. In rural areas like Reynolds County, community paramedics can also fill gaps in the local delivery system due to shortages of primary care physicians and long travel times to the nearest hospital or clinic. The partnership between Missouri Highlands Health Care Health Care and Washington County Ambulance District allows the Missouri Highlands Health Care MIH Network to send a community paramedic to homes of patients to conduct a wellness check and then link them to the health center or health department for needed services and then the health center will serve as the patient’s future medical home to ensure continuation of access to care. Joint protocols will be established with the engagement of the Medical Directors from both organizations for pre-authorized standing orders.

This project aims to improve access to care, improvement of chronic disease management, and health behavior outcomes. The MIH network helps address what impacts health outside the walls of hospitals and provider offices and takes care to individuals and families in their homes.

History of Washington County Ambulance District

Officially established in 1981, Washington County Ambulance District has grown to be a crucial partner in our healthcare providers. The district is poised to fulfill its mission - It is the mission of the Washington County Ambulance District to be pioneers of the healthcare community. ​ We strive to unite the healthcare community by being leaders in pre-hospital and inter-hospital clinical care. ​ We are committed to providing the highest quality critical, emergent, and non-emergent mobile healthcare to the patients we serve. ​ We will achieve these goals by offering ‘second to none’ clinical services, education standards, medical equipment, and vehicles. ​ We are committed to embracing the theory of “pre-hospital clinician” and challenging the status quo. We strive for excellence and are committed to quality. ​ We will serve our community with a commitment to diligent resource management and fiscal responsibility.

This Rural Health Network Development Grant is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $1,200,000.00. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov. This grant application was made possible through Missouri Foundation for Health’s MoCAP program. Missouri Foundation for Health is building a more equitable future through collaboration, convening, knowledge sharing, and strategic investment. Working in partnership with communities and nonprofits, MFH is transforming systems to eliminate inequities within all aspects of health and addressing the social and economic factors that shape health outcomes.