Province Commits to Ambulance Improvements

FITCH REPORT RELEASED

There are 160 ambulances and approximately 1,200 paramedics in Nova Scotia but finding one when needed has become a major concern across the province.

A long-awaited study on the subject was released today and the Minister of Health, Zach Churchill says, "The delivery of emergency health care and the needs of our province has evolved and we are making the necessary changes to modernize and improve our system.”

The announcement follows the release of a consultant’s report and the conclusion of contract negotiations with the Emergency Health System (EHS) provider. 

Churchill says, “Our new contract with Emergency Medical Care Inc. will redesign the system to provide the right resource, to the right person, at the right time, for the right reason.”

In October 2018, Fitch and Associates were contracted to review the current EHS model and recommend long-term, sustainable improvements. 

EHS operations include ground ambulance, medical communications centre, LifeFlight management, EHS specialty services, associated fleet maintenance, and administrative requirements.

One of the biggest concerns is the time spent by ambulance personnel waiting to offload patients at hospital emergency departments. The health minister has directed the Nova Scotia Health Authority to set standard times from ambulance to emergency departments, and emergency departments to elsewhere in the health system.

The new contract with Emergency Medical Care Inc. goes into effect as of April 1.

For details of the Fitch Report go to https://novascotia.ca/dhw/publications/FITCH-EHS-Report-Redacted.pdf.

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