By Charlene Tebbutt

New paramedicine program being tested in Prince Albert

Aug 7, 2018 | 5:41 PM

A new pilot program in Prince Albert is connecting residents in residential care homes with medical treatment, without a trip to hospital.

The new paramedicine program started last month in Prince Albert and offers paramedic services to residents in personal and private care homes in the city. Two specially-trained advanced care paramedics are currently working under the pilot program, treating residents across six care homes in Prince Albert. The project is modelled after a similar program in Saskatoon. 

Since the program launched June 25, the community paramedic program has treated 39 residents in local care homes. All but two were able to receive care or treatment at their residence without having to go to hospital. There is no cost to the patient, unless they require a trip to the hospital by ambulance.

“What we’re doing is assessing and treating urgently ill patients at home who previously would have had no option but to call an ambulance to go to the ER,” Jordan Ambrose, director of operations with Parkland Ambulance, said. Parkland is partnering with the Saskatchewan Health Authority on the pilot program.

“We’re working with the health authority to keep these complicated cases out of the ER and keep the seniors from these homes at home where they’re most comfortable,” Ambrose said.

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Pat Chuey, administrator at Good Shepherd Villa in Prince Albert says the paramedicine program is a good addition that not only helps residents, but reassures their families as well. Among their services, advanced care paramedics can draw blood for lab tests, start IVs or monitor heart beats, all from the resident’s own home.

“It’s just very upsetting for the elderly to be taken out of their environment here and taken to the hospital,” Chuey told paNOW. “So if we need anything at all, they will come in and assist us … it’s a win-win for everybody.”

Colleen Toye, interim director for Home Care Services with the SHA, said statistics show a high number of urgent medical calls come from care homes. Toye said the pilot is expected to be expanded into other care homes across the city over the next year and results will be monitored to determine how effective the initiative is overall.

“It’s pretty new so it’s hard to give a comprehensive review, but results so far are pretty promising,” Toye said.

Charlene.tebbutt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @CharleneTebbutt