Rescue helicopter service continues in southern Alberta

MEDICINE HAT– HALO Rescue will continue to be compensated on a fee-for-service basis to provide valuable air ambulance service to Medicine Hat and southern Alberta.

HALO Rescue’s helicopter service is part of an integrated Alberta Health Services (AHS) and STARS provincial air ambulance program, which has been developed since 2009 to ensure better clinical oversight for patients requiring critical and emergency care.

The provincial air ambulance program, led by AHS, ensures Albertans have timely access to emergency and tertiary hospital care no matter where they live, using a combination of fixed wing aircraft and helicopters to support patient care.
Under the current HALO Rescue partnership agreement, AHS EMS and STARS dispatchers can call in HALO to provide air ambulance assistance if its helicopter is best situated to provide the quickest response possible during an emergency. In addition, an early automated dispatch (EAD) system has been established to automatically send a request to HALO, based on predetermined criteria, as a 911 call is coming in.

HALO responses have oversight from an AHS/STARS Transport Physician – an on-call physician who specializes in emergency and critical air ambulance care – to provide medical advice to crews as they are responding to an emergency.

“Our end goal is to ensure that all Albertans have timely access to emergency and tertiary hospital care, no matter where they live. HALO, as part of a provincial dispatch system, is a valuable part of an integrated emergency response in southern Alberta,” says Darren Sandbeck, Chief Paramedic, AHS.

Fixed-wing aircraft provide inter-facility transportation for patients needing critical care and lower acuity services in rural and remote areas of Alberta. Every year, AHS moves nearly 7,000 patients with 11 fixed-wing aircraft based in 10 locations across the province, and transports nearly 1,950 patients by helicopter, through partners like HALO.

“As a government, we remain committed to HALO as a key partner in providing rescue helicopter services within the provincial air ambulance system. It’s a valuable service for the people of Medicine Hat and southern Alberta, and we’re pleased to ensure it continues,” says Sarah Hoffman, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health.

Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.

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