County Council received an update and overview of the Lanark County Paramedic Service (LCPS) from Mary Wilson Trider, President and CEO of Almonte General Hospital and Carleton Place District Memorial Hospital. The service is operated by Almonte General Hospital on behalf of the County. County council approves the annual budget, collective bargaining mandate, response time plan and service enhancements.

Wilson Trider outlined the number of vehicles, mileage and replacement intervals, as well as crew complements and equipment found in the vehicles. Total patient carrying calls were 15,914, with the highest volume from the Perth base at 5,029. She said the service is currently staffed by a chief, deputy chief, commander, four superintendents, two administrative support staff, 51 full-time paramedics and 53 part-time paramedics. “Paramedics perform more delegated medical acts than any other health-care professionals, other than a physician,” she said.

Wilson Trider highlighted the community para-medicine program, which is “an evolving a flexible health-care model that allows paramedics to operate in expanded rolls outside of traditional 911 response.” Community paramedics focus on connecting patients to primary care, completing post-hospital follow-up care, integrating with public health and home health agencies. In 2022, 371 new patients were enrolled and 3,553 visits completed. The program currently has short-term provincial funding.

Council also learned the results of a successful ambulance service review, which is conducted every three years to ensure a service is meeting or exceeding Ministry of Health requirements. “It requires a score of 90 per cent to be successful,” Wilson Trider said, noting LCPS scored 99.19 per cent.

Article by Brian Turner