No evidence to validate EMS complaints

Dear Editor:

We are aware of the inaccurate claims being made regarding the recent consolidation of EMS dispatch in four municipalities.

There is no evidence to suggest that the consolidation of EMS dispatch has led to any delays or inappropriate responses, in any of the communities where consolidation occurred.

AHS EMS has successfully been dispatching ambulances for more than 60 per cent of the province for the last decade. We have seen nothing over the past few weeks since we took over all EMS dispatch in the province to suggest that has changed.

As a paramedic of 40 years, I find it extremely disappointing that people would claim we are doing something that is not in the best interests of our patients. Patient care is at the centre of everything we do.

Dispatch consolidation has not resulted in any adverse events, response delays or negative outcomes. Quite the opposite in fact — since consolidation first began over a decade ago, AHS EMS has successfully and safely dispatched over half a million calls each year.

EMS always responds immediately to any urgent or life threatening 911 call, and it can be noted AHS EMS dispatches ambulances in the same way as municipalities did previously. AHS EMS dispatch also has access to exactly the same mapping and location data as the municipalities use currently and used prior to transition.

Ambulance services in each community are being delivered by the same local paramedics who know the streets, locations and neighbourhoods in their local community.

Occasionally we ask local fire departments for assistance on some medical calls. Each local fire department chooses which type of calls it is able to respond to and it should be noted they are not required on each and every medical call. We are grateful for the help from these Medical First Response partners when it is needed.

We are aware of several inaccurate and confusing claims that have been made in media and on social media that attempt to draw parallels between dispatch consolidation and perceived delays, including ones about two incidents that took place in northern Alberta in recent days.

With regards one call involving a snowmobiler, there have been questions about why the local fire department was not alerted. The fact is that the initial 911 call was for “unknown trouble” and the information presented at the time would not have triggered an automatic fire department response.

Another incident involving a fallen tree took place in a very remote rural location. The 911 call was dispatched in seconds and the crew arrived at that location well within acceptable required timeframes for such a remote area.

Since consolidation happened, all calls for an ambulance across the province have been responded to in exactly the same way as they would have before consolidation. To suggest otherwise is inaccurate and disingenuous.

AHS EMS will continue to work with municipalities and other partners to proactively deal with any issues that may arise. In fact, there are longstanding processes and pathways including regular meetings where any concerns may be addressed directly. We would respectfully request that if any municipality has legitimate concerns with public safety, that these issues be brought to EMS leadership, instead of bypassing those channels and going directly to the media.

In short, our AHS EMS dispatch system works well, it is effective and it has the best interests of all our patients at heart.

Respectfully,

Darren Sandbeck M.A., ACP, CHE

Senior Provincial Director & Chief Paramedic

Alberta Health Services