EMS Mobile Integrated Healthcare

Community Paramedicine

EMS Mobile Integrated Healthcare - Community Paramedicine

Our Goal

To be leaders in expanding and transforming the type of healthcare services provided to patients in their home, be trusted by patients and their families, and valued by acute care and community healthcare partners. Improve access and provide innovative approaches to mobile medicine for healthcare that traditionally requires an EMS, emergency department or hospital admission.

In the News

What

What are Community Paramedics?

Community Paramedicine is an innovative concept that is emerging across Canada and the world, and has operated in Alberta since 2012. It expands on the success and proven ability of Paramedics to provide safe, timely, mobile medical care in the community setting. Community Paramedics are specially trained to provide short-term treatment for low-acuity illnesses, under the medical direction of Physicians and Nurse Practitioners.

Community Paramedics have additional training and Education which focuses on:

  • Gerontology
  • Advanced pharmacology
  • Social determinants of health
  • Palliative care
  • Transfusion medicine
  • Dementia, delirium & and depression
  • Increase scope of practice including urinary catheterization, suturing, blood transfusions, central venous catheter/PICC and specimen collection
  • Advanced respiratory and cardiopulmonary assessments
  • Public Health
  • Clinical rotations with Physicians and Nurse Practitioners
  • Health records management and information technology tools
  • Communication
  • Understanding of existing community healthcare resources and responsibilities
Who

Who are the Community Paramedic and Mobile Integrated Healthcare teams?

There are a few different teams, structured to meet the specific needs of the community and patient.

CommunityResponse Team (CRT)

Community Response Teams (CRTS) are staffed by a single Community Paramedic or Nurse Practitioner (Edmonton only) and are supported by direct physician oversight. A Community Response Team is an SUV rather than ambulance and staff wear a specific uniform. CRTs have all the necessary medical equipment to provide needed diagnostics and treatments in the patient’s home. They do not transport patients to the hospital, if transportation is required it will be facilitated with existing local EMS resources.

City Center Team (CCT)

The City Center Team is a mobile resources staffed by a single or two-person Community Paramedic and supported by direct physician oversight. The City Center Team provides mobile acute care services focused on medical assessments, diagnostics and treatments for health concerns that are not currently being managed because of the difficulties association with homelessness, mental health issues and addiction.

Crisis Response and EMS (CREMS)

In collaboration with AHS Addictions and Mental Health, the CREMS team includes a Paramedic and a Mental Health Therapist. This team provides timely mental health and crisis intervention, providing referrals and access to extended health services, thereby keeping patients in the community.

Assess Treat and Refer (ATR) Program

The Assess Treat and Refer program focuses on patient– centered care by connecting people to needed community healthcare services and working in collaboration with the patient’s physician and care team to bridge medical assessments, diagnostics and treatments into the patient’s place of residence. This is accomplished by either a care provider in the community identifying a need and referring the patient to a Community Response Team for short term treatment, or an EMS crew identifying a need and referring their patient to any number of social or medical supports available through the ATR coordination centers.

There are two Assess Treat and Refer Coordination Centers:

  • Edmonton location provides provincial support in and north of Red Deer
  • Calgary location provides provincial support south of Red Deer
Where

Where is each team located?

MIH and Community Paramedic Teams provide coverage to patients within a 50km distance from their home location.

North Zone

  • Grande Prairie - Three Community Response Teams
  • Peace River – One Community Response Team

Edmonton Zone

  • Six Community Response Teams
  • One CREMS Team
  • One City Center Team

Central Zone

  • Camrose – Two Community Response Teams
  • Red Deer – Three Community Response Teams

Calgary Zone

  • Eight Community Response Teams
  • One City Center Team

South Zone

  • Lethbridge – Three Community Response Teams
  • Medicine Hat – Three Community Response Team
Contact

Who can access the Community Paramedic Program?

Patients with unmet healthcare needs including:

  1. Multiple co-morbidities who often rely on acute care
  2. Cognitive impairment or physical disabilities and lack of support that makes accessing care difficult
  3. Substance use disorders, mental health issues and insecure housing
  4. Urgent work-up or short term interventions

For full contact information, please go the Mobile Integrated Healthcare contact page.

Forms & Information

What People are Saying

“The Community Paramedic Program has prevented many unnecessary emergency visits while providing advice, interventions and support to patients and their families.”

Dr. Asaph Ksienski, Hospitalist

“Collaboration with the Community Paramedic Program was an invaluable extension of the work our clinic normally does.”

Dr. Ian Scott, CCDMC

Patient & Family Feedback

“I feel lucky to be receiving care in my home.”

“Very good, very thoughtful, very caring.”

“Everything within this level of care is outstanding.”

“All excellent! I don’t like to go to the hospital and the service was great!”