By Jeff Henson

EMS

Recommendations announced to improve EMS system in Alberta

May 26, 2022 | 12:21 PM

The province has announced ten recommendations that they hope will improve Emergency Medical Services response times, along with increased coverage.

Health minister Jason Copping says the recommendations were brought forward to him by the Provincial EMS Advisory Committee.

“This committee was tasked with bringing forward immediate action and longer-term solutions to ease EMS pressures by the end of May, with a final report and recommendations being tabled by the end of July. Some of the short-term suggestions are things that we can trial right away. These include solutions proposed by front-line workers to do things better and to do them differently.”

Among those pilots is a community response unit pilot that will take place in Strathcona County, and a project that will allow firefighter-paramedics in Spruce Grove to attend ambulance calls and assist with transporting patients

More than 1,400 front-line practitioners were invited to provide input to the advisory committee.

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Grande Prairie MLA Tracy Allard is co-chair of the Provincial EMS Advisory committee.

“I am a true believer in listening to staff on the ground. They know best what is working and what could be done better.”

Allard hopes these recommendations will demonstrate a notable shift in the right direction, and the beginning of more improvements in the system to come.

Areas touched on include improving coverage and efficiency, dispatch, and offload delays.

Copping says they need to add capacity to their EMS system.

“AHS is hiring more paramedics and boosting EMS staffing. They are moving quickly to hire 100 full-time permanent EMS positions, and extending 70 temporary positions. And I am pleased to announce practical steps to increase the pool of available EMS staff and keep more ambulances on the road. That is by easing staffing requirements.”

Copping adds they are granting a one-year exemption to allow Emergency Medical Responders to staff more types of ambulances, which he says will free up other paramedics to respond to more urgent calls.