According to the Pennsylvania Healthcare Cost Containment Council, millions of dollars are spent each year in Pennsylvania for Medicare and Medicaid patients who are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of their hospital stay. Hospital readmissions are also associated with unfavorable patient outcomes.

Responding to this, the Community Paramedicine Partnership will follow consenting patients with chronic medical conditions including congestive heart failure (CHF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who are at high-risk for readmission to the hospital.

Jefferson Lansdale Hospital will provide a referral to VMSC for consenting patients who score high on the EPIC Readmission Risk Score, an electronic health record-based readmission risk model. A specially trained, board-certified Community Paramedic will visit the patient within 24 hours of discharge and will make up to three additional home visits to these patients within the first 30 days after discharge.

The Community Paramedic will provide a health and home assessment, confirm patients are complying with discharge instructions, and consult with a physician about any changes in patient status as needed, utilizing the advanced patient tracking/charting software “HealthCall.” They may also reach out to local providers to schedule follow-up appointments and clarify medication orders.

“We know that many patients at high-risk for readmission, do not qualify for home health services after discharge, and other outpatient chronic care management programs are limited,” said Katie Farrell, vice president, Jefferson Lansdale Hospital. “We believe the Community Paramedicine Partnership program will help reduce unnecessary trips to the emergency department, reduce readmission to the hospital, and improve our patients’ quality of life.”

Studies have shown that mobile integrated health service programs like the newly formed Community Paramedicine Partnership, have been successful at preventing a deterioration of health and reducing preventable hospital readmissions for high-risk patients.

“We’re excited to partner with Jefferson Lansdale Hospital to help address the issue of hospital readmission,” said Shane Wheeler, CEO of VMSC, “The Community Paramedicine Partnership program is just one more way VMSC is making a positive impact on the communities we serve.”

Drs. Jon Sutter, Director of the Jefferson Lansdale Hospital Hospitalist Program, and Ryan Overberger, VMSC Medical Director, will provide medical oversight for the Community Paramedicine Partnership program.The pilot program is being funded for one-year by a Jefferson Abington Hospital Innovator’s Circle Grant.

The mother of three, ages 20, 19 and 2, works as manager of a donut shop, but her paycheck still isn’t cutting it and all the bills still don’t get paid.

Michelle’s name was changed to protect her family’s privacy.

There will likely be no presents, and no tree to put them under, on December 25.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” Michelle said. “I’m more worried about paying rent and having a roof over our heads than buying presents.

But Michelle is thankful during this holiday season. Her two-year old daughter attends subsidized day care at a rate which gives mom a chance to work.

“I helps me pay my bills more than if I wasn’t working,” she said. “I can work because of it and my daughter is able to interact with other children and learn things that I can’t teach at home.

“She loves other kids her age, loves playing and loves people.”

The 2-year old loves receiving and opening gifts and the older children understand that money is tight.

“My older daughters know they won’t get anything,” she said. “It’s hard.”

Operation Holiday

Operation Holiday was started in 1991 at The Mercury in Pottstown to help families going through tough times provide something for their children during the holidays. The mission of the program is to make sure there is food on the table and gifts under the tree when Christmas morning comes.

Now in its 33rd year, the program has served thousands of families throughout Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties, expanding its reach in recent years  to include communities served by Reading Eagle, The Times Herald, The Reporter, and Daily Local News.

More than $91,000 in donations last year provided food and gifts for 451 children and 199 families, plus cash donations to food pantries in Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties.

This year, Operation Holiday has partnered with 19 agencies in the tri-county area. Agencies have referred 165 families with 419 children for gifts and food.

There is no overhead with Operation Holiday and all funds stay local. Funds are collected and audited in a non-profit foundation account managed by staff of MediaNews Group who volunteer their time.

Gift cards to area grocery stores are provided to each family for food, so that they can purchase the fixings for a holiday dinner as well as staples for the pantry. Weis Markets is a partner with Operation Holiday and has assisted with food purchases and gift cards.

Gift cards for every child in the program 16 years of age or younger are purchased through Boscov’s and distributed in partnership with the referring agencies so that families can purchase gifts of their choice.

Operation Holiday does not accept families who have not been referred by an agency.

Operation Holiday is funded solely by reader contributions. All contributions are tax deductible.

How to donate

Online donations are being accepted in a secure portal in partnership with TriCounty Community Network. Visit https://tcnetwork.org/ and click on the link for Operation Holiday.

Contributions can be mailed with checks payable to Operation Holiday to PO Box 1181, Pottstown PA 19464; The Reporter, 307 Derstine Ave., Lansdale PA 19446;  Operation Holiday, 1440 Lacrosse Ave., Reading, PA 19607.

The names of all contributors are published in the participating newspapers as donations are received.  Please note whether a contribution should be designated as anonymous or given in tribute or in memory of someone.

One family in Chester County has had to put aside funds from its income to send to relatives who escaped the battlefields to Israel, where they now reside. That sacrifice has come home to put a crimp on how the family can celebrate the holidays this year.

“Because we had family in a war, we have to support them,” said Tanya, the mother of four who is among those who the community, will now be helped by Operation Holiday.

“It’s tough for us right now,” she said recently. “I used to work, but now I stay home. I have no insurance. My children don’t ask for much for Christmas. We try to give them love, and handmade gifts. That is our tradition.”

Her children are ages 14, 12, 9  and 5, she said. She brings in some money through her seamstress work, which is piecemeal and sometimes hard to come by. “I try to make some money while I am at home with my youngest. But it’s not so easy to get a job.”

“I know there are families out there with harder situations than me,” said Tanya, 39, whose 56-year-old husband works in maintenance. “Coming  from a poor country, even to have a little is like, Wow!’ There are so man people who won’t have things. But it is hard.”

Operation Holiday

Operation Holiday was started in 1991 at The Mercury in Pottstown to help families going through tough times provide something for their children during the holidays. The mission of the program is to make sure there is food on the table and gifts under the tree when Christmas morning comes.

Now in its 33rd year, the program has served thousands of families throughout Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties, expanding its reach in recent years to include communities served by Reading Eagle, The Times Herald, The Reporter, and Daily Local News.

More than $91,000 in donations last year provided food and gifts for 451 children and 199 families, plus cash donations to food pantries in Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties.

This year, Operation Holiday has partnered with 19 agencies in the tri-county area. Agencies have referred 165 families with 419 children for gifts and food. There is no overhead with Operation Holiday and all funds stay local. Funds are collected and audited in a non-profit foundation account managed by staff of MediaNews Group who volunteer their time.

Gift cards to area grocery stores are provided to each family for food, so that they can purchase the fixings for a holiday dinner as well as staples for the pantry. Weis Markets is a partner with Operation Holiday and has assisted with food purchases and gift cards.

Gift cards for every child in the program 16 years of age or younger are purchased through Boscov’s and distributed in partnership with the referring agencies so that families can purchase gifts of their choice.

Operation Holiday does not accept families who have not been referred by an agency.

Operation Holiday is funded solely by reader contributions. All contributions are tax-deductible.

How to donate

Online donations are being accepted in a secure portal in partnership with TriCounty Community Network. Visit https://tcnetwork.org/ and click on the link for Operation Holiday.

Contributions can be mailed with checks payable to Operation Holiday to PO Box 1181, Pottstown PA 19464; The Reporter, 307 Derstine Ave., Lansdale PA 19446; Operation Holiday, 1440 Lacrosse Ave., Reading, PA 19607.

The names of all contributors are published in the participating newspapers as donations are received. Please note whether a contribution should be designated as anonymous or given in tribute or in memory of someone.