June 17, 2022
CALGARY – The Health Quality Council of Alberta (HQCA) has agreed to lead the independent review into the EMS response to a dog attack in Calgary on June 5.
AHS announced on June 9 that an independent review will be carried out into the events surrounding the EMS response to the dog attack. Our thoughts remain with the family, friends, and neighbours of the Calgarian who died.
The HQCA will review the structure, processes, and protocols related to the EMS response, as well as any system factors that may have contributed to the extended response time. Two external emergency medical services experts are being engaged by the HQCA to participate on the review team:
AHS believes that an independent review is needed to ensure that any opportunities for improvement are identified.
“We are pleased to lead this review. The HQCA will bring an objective, evidence-based analysis. We will identify if there are broader health system factors that contributed to the incident and will make recommendations for any improvement opportunities,” said Charlene McBrien-Morrison, CEO of HQCA.
The review is expected to be completed no later than September 2022 and every effort will be made to complete the review quickly. Results will be shared publicly.
AHS is grateful for the work of the dispatch team, the care provided by our paramedic crew, as well as our public safety partners who assisted in this event.
The HQCA is a provincial agency that brings together patients, families, and partners from across healthcare and academia to inspire improvement in patient safety, person-centred care, and health service quality. The HQCA operates independently from AHS and Alberta 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.
