Information
To address the dramatic rise in low acuity medical calls across our region, PF&R has partnered with CareOregon (a nonprofit that provides health care services to low income Oregonians) to create Community Health Assess & Treat units (CHAT). The CHAT units will respond to low acuity medical calls.
The Community Health Assess & Treat (CHAT) program is designed to be a proactive intervention, reaching community members in their time of need with 1-on-1 support from a medical professional. CHAT will leverage the strengths of PF&R—the city’s largest licensed pre-hospital care workforce—to:
- Provide individuals who call 9-1-1 for non-emergent health issues the care they need in the moment and connect them to the right resources to get them on the path to health improvement (e.g. connected to a Primary Care Physician, enrolled on Oregon Health Plan, etc.).
- Provide education to community members regarding how to access appropriate healthcare in the future—so they use 9-1-1 as a last resort, instead of their first option.
- Help reduce the number of individuals going to the emergency department for non-emergent issues.