Dr. John Wells serves as the medical director of fire and emergency medical services (EMS) for the City of Brownsville in Texas. In this role, Dr. John Wells focuses on providing the best emergency care possible to the residents of Brownsville and continues to innovate with new programs. Last year, the city announced the start of the Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) program, which reduces strain on emergency providers while improving interventions and outcomes.
MIH targets people who frequently call 911 and offers an alternative way of providing non-urgent care. Through the program, paramedics conduct regular welfare checks in the individual’s home to evaluate personal health and living environment. Then, the provider connects individuals to the right resources to get the proper care.
In Brownsville, the MIH program is serving individuals with congestive heart failure (CHF) who were recently discharged from the hospital. Readmission rates for patients with CHF are high in the first 30 days after discharge and the average cost is about $10,000. By sending paramedics to evaluate patients, care is improved while money is saved. The city hopes to expand its MIH program to a variety of other diagnoses in the near future.
Dr. John Wells 