THUNDER BAY – Millions in new funding for community paramedicine in the Thunder Bay District is expected to help decrease emergency department visits and allow seniors to remain in their homes longer.
Superior North EMS (SNEMS) will receive $6.5 million in provincial funding over three years to expand its community paramedicine program, beginning this year.
That will support the hiring of new staff and the purchase of non-ambulance vehicles, allowing the agency to increase home visits and other paramedicine approaches for seniors.
The program will look to alleviate growing pressures on the long-term care system, offering care to those on LTC waitlists, those soon to be eligible for LTC, and those assessed as eligible by a care coordinator with Home and Community Care Support Services North West (formerly the Northwest LHIN).
“We know there are people currently waiting at home who need a lot of support, and just don’t have access,” said Shane Muir, superintendent of community paramedicine for SNEMS. “They end up calling 9-1-1, it creates an [emergency department] visit, and often those patients get admitted to the hospital, [which] can be lengthy stays and very expensive.”
“If we can provide that support and connection for them in home, without ever having to transport into an emergency department setting, we can save a lot of taxpayer dollars, and also provide a better, more comfortable support for the patient.”
Superior North EMS is one of 34 agencies to receive provincial funding for the program, which is designed to alleviate pressures on LTC waitlists due to COVID-19.
The pandemic has reduced LTC availability in Ontario by around 6,000 beds, according to a city report, thanks to COVID-19 measures like restrictions on new admissions into multi-bed rooms, and the need to create space for isolation.
The new funding will help expand SNEMS’ existing community paramedicine program, which Muir said has proven effective.
“It’s stuff we’ve shown works in the past – we’ve had several pilot programs that have been really successful in decreasing those ER admissions and 9-1-1 activations,” he said. “We’re looking to expand and continue those.”
The program was first created in 2015 to address rapidly rising 9-1-1 calls, which increased 80 per cent from 2005 to 2015, and are projected to continue increasing through 2030.
The city’s report, which will be presented to city council Monday, states that the paramedicine program has “had a positive estimated return on investment” by reducing emergency calls, as well as bringing health benefits to clients.
Paramedics involved with the program perform in-home and virtual health checks, conduct medication compliance, complete falls risk assessments, alert health partners when a client’s condition is declining, and can assist clients in finding a primary care provider and other required services.
Beyond home visits, the community paramedicine program has conducted wellness clinics, in-home flu vaccination programs, emergency evacuation health and safety management, and more recently, supported COVID-19 assessment centres and immunization clinics.
The expanded program is expected to initially focus on in-home supports for about 600 residents across the Thunder Bay District who are waitlisted for LTC spots.
SNEMS is looking at developing a 24/7 service model, though Muir noted the agency is still in the planning stages.
The program will involve a “fairly robust team” of paramedics, which could be a mix of existing SNEMS staff and new hires, who will be offered specialized training. The city report states the funding could support hiring of up to 14 full-time equivalent staff.
“It will require a significant amount of staff and leadership, but we think we’re very well-positioned to do that, and we’re really looking forward to helping our community any way we can,” said Muir.
The expansion of the community paramedicine program will come to city council for approval on Monday.
-With files from Ryan Bonazzo, TBT News
