GREENSBORO, NC:: Kati Lynch spent the day going door to door, checking in on high risk heart failure patients. The Guilford County EMS Paramedic is part of a para-medicine program, “Our goal is to keep them (patients) out of the hospital,” said Lynch.
The program is a partnership between Cone Health, Triad Healthcare Network and Guilford County EMS. Paramedics like Lynch check on patients every week or so to insure they are feeling well and have the proper medication they need, “We don’t want them out in a storm,” said Lynch.
With Hurricane Florence fast approaching paramedics are doing one last sweep of their 59 patients before the rain comes, “We don’t want them to end back up in the hospital,” said Lynch.
On this day Lynch checking in on 60-year-old Riley Pickard. A high-risk patient he has been dealing with heart issues for more than 10 years, “It means a lot,” said Pickard.
After checking his vitals Lynch made sure his medications were up to date. Lynch ended up running out and getting a refill of a prescription Pickard was low on.
Along with social workers from Cone Health they group dropped off some hurricane supplies and non-perishable items, “Our goal is to keep them healthy and out of the hospital,”
said Cone Health Social Worker Jackie Brennan.
After the visit Pickard passed out hugs to the people who came by, “Thank you, thank you,” said Pickard.
