A Life Transformed: How Community Paramedicine Cut 911 Calls by 90%
In August 2024, Lee County launched its community paramedicine program with a clear goal: improve access to care, reduce preventable 911 use, and support residents whose complex medical and social needs were not being met through traditional healthcare systems. The program began by working closely with individuals struggling with substance use disorders, then expanded to assist high-frequency 911 callers, and later partnered with the local health system, Lee Health, to support patients recovering from CHF, COPD, and sepsis. Among the earliest and most influential cases was a man we’ll call Mr. Carter, whose experience helped shape the direction of the program.
Seeing the Whole Person
The team first met Mr. Carter in August 2024, after he called 911 three times in a single day. This was just a fraction of the forty-six calls he had already made that year. What initially seemed like frequent use revealed a deeper truth: he relied on emergency services because every other avenue of care had quietly fallen away. Recognizing that episodic responses were not enough, the community paramedics visited him at home to understand the full scope of his needs.
Inside his apartment, the story became clear. Mr. Carter was overutilizing a care system that was only equipped to see fragments of his whole picture. He was trying to navigate life with chronic abdominal pain and a complex gastrointestinal condition that had worsened after he lost access to pain management. Without consistent care or reliable medications, 911 had become his sole safety net.
His challenges extended far beyond medicine. He had no Social Security card, and no valid ID; only an expired out-of-state driver’s license. These gaps prevented him from legally driving, obtaining prescriptions, or accessing routine care. Piles of unopened mail and mounting bills deepened his anxiety, leaving him isolated and unsure where to begin. Food insecurity, financial strain, and a lack of supportive relationships compounded the stress. Every aspect of his life, including medical, social, and logistical factors, was closely connected.
Mr. Carter’s medical practitioners were unable to see the full picture. Each provider could address one piece of his situation, such as his gastrointestinal issues, his pain, or his lab results, but none had the capacity to understand how chronic illness, social barriers, financial strain, and environmental stressors combined to trap him in constant crisis.
The community paramedicine program, however, was uniquely positioned to see the whole continuum of his needs. By visiting him in his home, discussing his challenges, and understanding the realities of his environment, the team could advocate, coordinate, and navigate care in ways that traditional clinical encounters could not. They became his bridge to stability, addressing not only his medical needs but also the social and logistical barriers that had made calling 911 a necessity.
Restoring Stability, Step by Step
The path forward began with trust. Through regular home visits, the team built a relationship that allowed them to work alongside Mr. Carter to address the issues beneath the surface. They helped him register for the LeeTran Passport program so he could reliably travel to appointments and the grocery store. Meals on Wheels was brought in to ensure he had consistent access to food, while the paramedics assisted with Medicare Part D enrollment so he could obtain needed medications.
Equally important was restoring his legal and personal identity. The team helped him secure a new Social Security card and obtain a valid Florida driver’s license, followed by updated vehicle registration. These steps returned to him something he had been missing for years: independence.
During routine follow-ups, the paramedics also identified concerns about opioid overuse. After a thoughtful conversation, Mr. Carter agreed to begin addiction medicine treatment. Transitioning from opioid pain medication to Subutex led to marked improvements in his mood, daily functioning, and ability to engage in his care plan.
The paramedics supported him in ways that extended far beyond clinical care. They sat with him to sort through mail, organize important documents, and address overdue bills and tax concerns. They also provided a timed medication dispenser to help him stay on track. Small actions added up to major turning points.
A Dramatic Shift in 911 Use and Daily Life Improvements
The change in Mr. Carter’s emergency usage was remarkable. In the year before community paramedicine became involved, he made fifty-six 911 calls. Over the next fifteen months, he made only five totaling a 91% reduction in pre-hospital utilization.
This shift had a profound impact on both him and the EMS system. Each 911 call typically requires around seventy-five minutes of EMS crew time. By reducing fifty-one calls, the program saved roughly sixty-four hours of crew availability. At an estimated $900 per response, this translated to upwards of $45,000 in avoided costs not factoring in emergency department care.
Just as important were the changes in his daily life. With stability restored, Mr. Carter began taking regular walks, cooking meals, socializing with neighbors, and attending appointments without assistance. He often told the team that they were “the closest thing to family” he had, and he listed his primary community paramedic, Jodi, as his emergency contact. This gesture alone speaks to the trust built over months of consistent, compassionate presence.
A Model for What’s Possible
Today, Mr. Carter continues to thrive. His journey remains a guide for the program’s future growth and a compelling reminder that community paramedicine is a lifeline that can change the trajectory of a person’s life while simultaneously strengthening the entire healthcare system.
At its heart, Mr. Carter’s story is about humanity in care. Community paramedics did more than provide medical guidance. They built trust, offered consistent presence, and became advocates across the full spectrum of his needs. By coordinating across community partners, the Lee County EMS Community Paramedicine team addressed the social drivers that no clinic visit could fix. In doing so, they restored not just his health, but his independence, dignity, and hope – showing that when care meets people where they truly are, it can transform lives.
Community Impact
By addressing both medical and social drivers of health through in-home visits, the community paramedicine program reduced one patient’s 911 use by over 90%, restoring stability, independence, and quality of life. This approach freed EMS resources, reduced avoidable costs, and strengthened trust between patients and the healthcare system.
State & CMS Initiatives
This program aligns with state and CMS priorities focused on reducing avoidable emergency utilization, improving care coordination, and addressing health-related social needs outside traditional clinical settings. Community paramedicine supports value-based care models by improving outcomes while lowering system-wide costs. HealthCall & Lee County EMS also partnered closely with the Department of Health to allow data sharing from each MIH encounter.
Program Design & Implementation
HealthCall partnered directly with Lee County EMS through a ride-along and multi-day strategy sessions, working alongside the team and the state to streamline documentation, improve workflow alignment, and support program efficiency. This collaboration ensured data capture and reporting matched real-world operations, enabling sustainable program growth and compliance.