Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman joined executives from University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center (BWMC), Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC), Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities (DoAD) and Anne Arundel County Fire Department (AACoFD) to share updates on the success of the Mobile Integrated Community Health (MICH) Program implementation.

In a statement, Pittman said the public-private partnership “dramatically reduced clients’ emergency medical 911 calls and improved resident health and well-being.”

The MICH partnership, which began full implementation in February 2020, addresses situations where a 911 medical emergency response and transport to the local emergency department may not meet the needs of the client. The program identifies individuals who frequently utilize 911 for non-life-threatening medical reasons, and links them to community resources and medical/social programs that more appropriately meet their needs.

The program dramatically decreased 911 utilization by program participants: for the 203 patients served, the number of 911 calls in the three months before MICH intervention and in the three months after dropped by 70 percent.

Once a client is identified, the MICH team schedules an initial visit to evaluate the entire living environment and client health. The MICH team consists of a fire department paramedic, a registered nurse (RN), and a clinical social worker from the Department of Aging and Disabilities. Through this work, the team identifies needs and potential resources to improve overall health and living conditions, reducing the strain on EMS and on local hospital emergency rooms.