Middlesex-London EMS is happy with the start to their Community Paramedicine Referral Programs.
EMS has piloted three programs over the last three months.
Deputy Superintendent and Project lead for the program, Dustin Carter, says promising numbers are coming out of the program.
The three programs include Referral to the Community Care Access Centre, Refusal of Service follow up, and Crisis Mobile Team.
The referral to the CCAC allows the Access Centre to give the patients who may be more vulnerable the help they need and find the resources that could better serve them instead of the emergency room. Carter says 140 clients have been referred to the CCAC with 47% being new clients.
The Refusal of Service follow up allows EMS to give more information to allow patients to make an informed decision. It then allows paramedics to follow up with the patients. Carter says they have been able to follow with 75% of the patients to ensure they are doing well and if they may need additional attention.
The Crisis Mobile Team allows members from the Southwest Canadian Mental Health Association to respond to a call and give care and treatment to patients in more of a timelier manner. He says that the CMHA has reported an 83% positive outcome.
Carter says that these programs help take the pressure of the emergency rooms.
“It allows more optimal external resources outside of the emergency room for these individuals that are at risk of an independence loss. This allows them to see more care in the comfort of their homes and reduce to overall costs of healthcare spending.”
Timeline:
November 2014: Province announced funding for the program
Spring 2015: Middlesex-London EMS trained their paramedics and other officials about the programs.
Spring-October 2015: EMS will use the referral programs
July 2015: Around 30 organizations will meet to discuss the program and the results it’s generating
October 2015: The future of Community Paramedicine is expected to be announced by the Ontario Government
Some partners with the program:
- London Police
- London Fire
- Community Care Access Centre
- Canadian Mental Health Association
He notes it allows paramedics and other officials to work more in a preventive manner.
“We now have that opportunity to expand our scope of practice to identify, prevent and help patients manage their underline conditions.”
Carter says this allows better communication with organizations across London including Police and Fire. He says it also better informs and educates the public about other resources that are out there if someone needs assistance.
He says people can also use 211 Ontario.
211 Ontario is a phone number where you can find out about more resources available on challenges you made be facing.
Carter notes that many organizations will meet together in July to talk about the program and how it is doing so far.
The Community Paramedicine Program will continue through the summer and into the fall. He says Ontario will then most likely announce the future of the program and where it will go.
Quick Numbers:
- Health Care in Ontario consumes 42 cents of every dollar spent on provincial programs.
- It’s predicted in the next 12 years the Health Care would be 70% of the provincial budget.
- Predicted with the 2030 population, health care costs could increase by $24-billion.
