Lancaster, N.H. — Today, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) met with leadership at Weeks Medical Center to discuss their Mobile Integrative Healthcare and Community Paramedicine Program, which allows paramedics to help patients access health care outside of emergency settings by visiting them in their homes. During the visit, Kuster spoke with staff about how their innovative operations help ensure that rural communities are able to access quality care. 

“When our rural communities can get the quality health care they need without traveling hours to see a doctor, our entire health care system feels the benefits. That’s why innovative programs like Weeks Medical Center’s mobile health care initiative are so impactful,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “It was wonderful to sit down with health care workers to hear firsthand about their experience caring for patients in their homes and the difference that makes for families. This program is a game-changer for our state, and I look forward to seeing its positive impact on New Hampshire!”

“For the medical systems serving small rural communities, the COVID-19 pandemic not only reinforced the importance of versatility and preparedness, but also offered opportunities to innovate and ‘re-think’ how we deliver medical care, especially to our most fragile and compromised patients,” said Elizabeth Cooley, MIH/Community Paramedicine Program Medical Director. “Mobile Integrated Health partners our medical center with our local Emergency Medical Services (EMS) team and together we identify gaps in care. Working as a multidisciplinary team, we attempt to fill those gaps before a patient needs our emergency department or even hospitalization. This team involves the patient’s primary care provider, case manager, pharmacist, ER physician, hospitalist, social worker, behavioral health professional, and community paramedic who all communicate in the patient’s medical home chart. This way, rather than fragmenting medical care, we strive to maintain and show the ‘bigger picture.’”

As a member of the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, Congresswoman Kuster is a leading voice in supporting rural health care providers and expanding access to quality care. Kuster’s legislation, the Rural Health Innovation Act, would increase access to emergency care in rural areas. Kuster is also leading legislation, the Health Center Service Expansion and Provider Shortage Reduction Act, to expand the role of community health centers and support funding for providers in these settings.  

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