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By Regan Tate

Province reveals more details of increased funding to address EMS crisis in Alberta

Mar 10, 2022 | 3:13 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The provincial government is releasing more details about how it plans to address the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) crisis in Alberta.

To help EMS respond to high demand and stress on staff, funding is being increased by $64-million, or 12.2 per cent and will include:

• $28 million to add more ground ambulances and crews, in addition to sustainable funding for helicopter air ambulance services
• $22 million to increase capacity, extend ground ambulance contracts and support integrated operations centres and inter-facility transports projects
• $14 million for the “hours of work” initiative, to address crew fatigue.

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“EMS has been experiencing historic call volume and staffing pressures and we’re taking action by significantly increasing EMS funding to improve capacity and access. We’re committed to making sure EMS has the resources they need, and I thank all paramedics and EMS support staff for stepping up throughout the pandemic and continuing to be there when we need them,” stated Jason Copping, minister of health

Medicine Hat is not specifically mentioned in Thursday’s announcement. Edmonton and Calgary will both receive five 24/7 ambulances in each of the next two fiscal years – a total of 20. Both Lethbridge and Red Deer will see ambulance hours increase by 12 hours per day in each of the next two fiscal years.

$14 million is being allocated to support Alberta Health Services’ EMS Hours of Work project. The aim is to adjust work hours, shifts, and scheduling to lessen fatigue among paramedics in 14 rural communities including Drumheller and Bassano.

The Health Sciences Association of Alberta which represents paramedics and emergency communications officers says the steps announced Thursday by the Premier show “he doesn’t understand what needs to be done to ensure people who need care, get it.”

President Mike Parker says “emergency communications officers (eco’s) and paramedics respond to Albertans in emergencies, not ambulances.” He says with no crews to staff them, the new ambulances will just sit empty.

Last month in Edmonton an ambulance was parked in the garage because no crew was available 348 times.

For the crews who are working, Parker says the system is stretched far beyond capacity. Members are being forced to deal with non-stop call volume and work excessive forced overtime.

During a news conference Thursday afternoon Parker said he spoke to a member just the other day who was trying to get off shift after working 12 hours non-stop. “As they were trying to get off shift they received further calls, further overtime and they didn’t arrive at the daycare where their child was until 90 minutes after it closed. These are the stressors that are on our folks every single day.”

Parker says a top priority to address burnout and to retain current members is to ensure members are getting off consistently at the end of their shifts and have scheduled meal breaks.

HSAA also wants to see a plan to train and recruit more paramedics and emergency communications officers as well as reinstate harm reduction programs to ease the burden on EMS.