IBSC Recognizes Mission Health Partners as Leader in Community Paramedicine

Snellville, GA—The International Board of Specialty Certification (IBSC) is privileged to announce that the Community CaraMedic Program of Mission Health Partners in Asheville, North Carolina is the first program in the nation have all of their staff become board certified as community paramedics (CP-C). 

The CaraMedic program embraces the broadening role of paramedics beyond acute emergency services into education, treatment, and support of high-risk or chronically ill patients. Mission Health’s care management model integrates paramedics as key members of multidisciplinary teams including care coordinators, clinical pharmacists, and social workers. The program, which is funded through the ACO's shared savings, the Certified Community Paramedics of the CaraMedic program are the “eyes and ears, the boots on the ground" of the care team who have the opportunity to evaluate home environments, assess safety risks, and educate patients to self-manage their health. They are the first Community Paramedic program in the United States to be 100% board certified as Certified Community Paramedics. 

Currently there are 94 people who have successfully obtained the credential internationally and only 17 board certified community paramedics work in North Carolina—nearly half of those are with the Mission CaraMedic program. To prepare for the examination, team members completed over 216 hours of education and 220 hours of clinical rotations.

Congratulations to the CaraMedic program’s Certified Community Paramedics:  Christian Brackett, Bryan Dixon, Tucker Forlines, Randy Fugate, Chadd Pickelsimer, Jennifer Wallace, and Thomas Ward.int