Evaluating the impact of a mobile integrated health‒community paramedicine program on health-related social needs and hospital readmissions

Objective. Evaluate a mobile integrated health–community paramedicine program's effect on addressing health-related social needs and their association with hospital readmissions. 

Methods. This observational study enrolled 1,003 patients from 5/4/2018–7/23/21. Descriptive statistics summarize social needs. A Poisson regression model examined the association of interventions for social needs with 30-day readmissions. 

Results. Patients who had their medication-related needs fully addressed had a 65% lower rate of total 30-day readmission compared with patients who had no such needs fully addressed (IRR=0.35, 95% CI 0.18–0.68, P=.002). No variables reached statistical significance related to unplanned 30-day readmissions, aside from the HOSPITAL Score. 

Conclusions. Assisting patients with medication-related needs is associated with reductions in overall 30-day readmissions. Interventions within most domains were not associated with reductions in overall or unplanned 30-day readmissions. This program had greater success addressing needs with one-step interventions, suggesting additional time and resources may be necessary to address complex social needs.