Unavailability of ambulances has caused more than 1,125 incidents so far this year cites worsening off-road delays in hospitals that have become To transport patients around the city, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson has asked to fund his 42 additional paramedics "to address the current shortage and ensure public safety." I am asking the state.
In a letter dated 16 August to Prime Minister Doug Ford and Health Secretary Sylvia Jones, Watson wrote that the It said it is seeking help in dealing with increasingly frequent off-road delays. A “level zero” situation until the patient can be treated in the emergency department and no ambulance is available.
"Delays in hospital offloading will impact the Ottawa Emergency Medical Service's ability to answer calls and quickly resume service, jeopardizing public safety," he said Thursday. said in a published letter.
“States and local governments pay paramedics to assist residents in need of urgent medical attention. We are not paying nor wanting to do hallway medical care.”
Watson said the state told hospitals that offload delays were unacceptable. He said there is a need to send a strong message and encourage all concerned parties to work together and embrace innovative solutions.
He proposed incentives for hospitals to meet his 30-minute off-road goal and standardize measurement and reporting.
In Ottawa, he said, he has now seen a 20% increase in caseloads, and so far this year he has had more than 1,125 "level zero" incidents with no ambulance available. increase.
Local hospitals are aware of the off-road problem, but point to challenges such as the number of "alternative medicine level" (ALC) patients, he said. Care — and we need more beds like that to free up space in the emergency department.
It will take time to fix the problem, he said. Meanwhile, Watson says the addition of 42 members will help get paramedics back on the road by strategically placing paramedics in local hospitals and caring for patients with low vision in the emergency department. Said it might help.
A second letter, attached to the letter Watson sent, was signed by officials from Ottawa Emergency Medical Services, Queensway-Carlton Hospital, Montfort Hospital, and Ottawa Hospital, and 42 additional Paramedics say they will need a base fund of $5 million. He is also asking $750,000 for related equipment.
Watson's letter deals with what has been a problem in the city for many years and points to the debate between hospitals and municipalities. It also announced a plan to stabilize the health care system, which includes both patients.
states said they would expand programs to allow paramedics to care for some patients at home instead of taking them to hospitals. The health minister also announced plans to move ALC patients out of hospital beds and temporarily to long-term care facilities that the patients had not chosen.
Any of these initiatives. It is not known if will affect offload latency.
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Ontario has invested in more private clinic surgeries to stabilize its healthcare system.
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, does not solve the crisis, critics say
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