Alberta Minister of Health Jason Copping at EMS news conference May 26, 2022. (Photo: Alberta Government)

By Mario Cabradilla

Two Pilot Projects

Alberta government aims to relieve EMS pressures

May 26, 2022 | 1:47 PM

The government of Alberta has revealed plans of easing pressure on emergency medical services (EMS) in the province.

Jason Copping, Minister of Health, says EMS advisory committee recommendations were quickly approved to improve coverage and response times of emergency medical services. These recommendations are focused on increasing staff, improvement of coverage and efficiency, addressing offload delays, and improving dispatch.

Alberta is providing a one-year exemption from current staffing requirements to allow emergency medical responders to use an alternate level of practitioners to help address staffing issues across the province. The province hopes this will alleviate the current staffing challenges in Alberta.

According to a May 26, 2022 news release by the province, to improve coverage and efficiency, community response units will be deployed as part of two pilot projects in Strathcona County and Spruce Grove.

To address offload delays, an Emergency Department Offload Delay Task Force will be formed to “bring together key health-care partners involved in all levels of the health system.” The province hopes this will also improve patient access to emergency departments and other health services.

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The task force will also develop guidelines for the timely and safe transfer of EMS patients to emergency department waiting rooms.

To improve dispatch, alternative service delivery options for patients who do not need an ambulance will also be reviewed. According to the same May 26, 2022 news release, “this is to assess less urgent calls and respond with other safe alternative options like non-medical transport, primary care appointment access or other specialized services such as a community paramedic.”

“All of these are just initial recommendations,” said Copping, explaining that he is also looking forward to an interim report that will be coming out soon. “But it was important that we actually move on this and move on this quickly, to be able to start addressing the pressures that we’re seeing in the system right now.”

David Shepherd, NDP Health Critic, made the following statement in response to Minister Copping’s announcement:

“Albertans can not trust the UCP with their healthcare. We have a health system in crisis and a Health Minister in denial.

“The UCP’s mismanagement of healthcare has caused hospitals to close and wait times to get into emergency departments increase, making paramedics travel further and more frequently to care for Albertans. Under the UCP, Albertans are waiting longer than ever for an ambulance while paramedics are working to exhaustion and beyond.

“Today’s muddled and confusing announcement offers little to address the crisis at hand or give hope to paramedics who continue to work under extraordinary pressure. We do not need another 10-point plan or advisory committee, we need this government to stop ignoring paramedics and take real action.

“Earlier this month I stood with Mike Parker, the president of the Health Sciences Association of Alberta and a former paramedic to call on the UCP to act. Paramedics must be able to get off shift on time. Paramedics with casual positions should be offered permanent full-time positions. Lastly, the UCP has to provide more services and resources to address the drug poisoning crisis to ease demand on ambulances.”

(With files from rdnewsNOW)