Emergency wait times are set to be reduced through a program that will free up paramedics and ambulances to respond to more emergency calls – and faster.
Alberta’s government, along Alberta Health Services (AHS), is introducing the Healthcare Action Plan. Through the plan, alternative transportation will be arranged for transfer patients who don’t require medical support, allowing paramedics and ambulances to go where they are needed most.
“Paramedics are highly skilled health professionals who are trained to respond in times of crisis. We want to ensure their skills are being used in the best way possible while also ensuring Albertans are not left waiting after a call to 911,” said Premier Danielle Smith.
“Albertans have been calling for change and rightfully demanding a health system that works for them. By rolling out this program across the province, we will free up more ambulances and acute care beds to deliver urgent care, faster.”
As per a Government of Alberta press release, AHS expects 15 per cent of transports will be diverted from emergency medical services, allowing paramedics to respond to about 70 more transports per day once the program is implemented.
Alternative transportation includes wheelchair-accessible taxis, community shuttles, and other locally available options, and AHS will cover the cost of transportation for patients who are financially unable to do so.
AHS has identified four priority areas to both reduce pressure on the healthcare system, and improve its performance. The Healthcare Action Plan is just one of several actions being taken.
Other initiatives include:
- Improving EMS response times through:
- Supporting the use of alternative transport options.
- Adding triage physicians in emergency department waiting rooms to support ambulance offload.
- Performing secondary triage – sending 911 calls to 811 where appropriate.
- Allowing paramedics to assess and treat without transport to hospital.
- Implementing an EMS Provincial Service Plan.
- Decreasing emergency department wait times by:
- Improving hospital flow to improve use of emergency department beds.
- Ensuring Albertans are aware of alternate options to visit an emergency department.
- Expanding hours for non-urgent clinics at children’s hospitals.
- Increasing dedicated Allied Health supports in the emergency department to support timely assessment and discharge of elderly and frail patient populations.
- Partnering with community organizations to facilitate safe discharge from emergency departments for individuals experiencing homelessness.
- Reducing wait times for surgeries by:
- Improving management of wait lists.
- Utilizing surgical facilities outside of Edmonton and Calgary hospitals.
- Improving overall patient flow and capacity at AHS sites by:
- Improving the community-based options for homeless and vulnerable populations requiring medical respite and convalescent care.
- Increasing Allied Health supports to hospital care teams to support improved patient flow on hospital wards.
- Adding additional hours of home care to support patients at home who are waiting for continuing care placement or to keep patients in their homes as long as they would like to and can safely be there.
- Ensuring consistent seven day per week admission into continuing care.
The plan will be implemented as soon as possible across the province. Further consultation with patients, their families, Indigenous partners and continuing care providers will take place to ensure solutions are available locally, including in Red Deer.
“I want to thank all staff and physicians who are helping to get this new EMS program implemented and executed, and also the teams focused on immediate actions across all priority areas,” said AHS Interim President and CEO Mauro Chies.
Community partners, operators interested in joining the preferred vendor lists can contact AHS at cpsm.customersupport@albertahealthservices.ca or 1-877-595-0007.
If you have questions, concerns or comments about the Healthcare Action Plan, contact your Red Deer-North MLA office using the form here.