Province announces increased funding to speed up ambulance 'off-loading' at York Region hospitals

In fast-growing York, delays in transfer can be life-threatening

Yorkregion.com
Sept. 28, 2023
Kim Zarzour

You may soon have quicker response time in an emergency with a new influx of funding to paramedics and ambulance services in York Region.

The Ontario government has announced nearly $2.4 million in funding to allow nurses and other eligible health care providers to be hired and dedicated to the smooth and timely off-loading of ambulance patients in local hospitals.

It means paramedics may get back out into the community faster and respond to calls.

In Feb. 22, a report to York Region council noted provincial funding for a Dedicated Offload Nurse Program had not kept pace with the opening of the Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, nor the increased hours of coverage needed at existing hospitals due to growth.

Upon arrival at the hospital, paramedics provide care to their patient until a nurse can receive the patient into the hospital’s care.

The region aims to maintain an off-load time of 30 minutes or less.

The longer it takes to transfer care, the longer the paramedic team and ambulance must wait at emergency departments, unavailable to respond to 911 calls and these delays can have negative impacts on patient care, the staff report said.

Some of these calls are life-threatening to patients, such as those experiencing cardiac arrests, chest pain, strokes and/or trauma.

Since 2008. the provincial government’s Dedicated Offload Nurse Program provided funds to paramedic services to reimburse hospitals for the cost of nurses dedicated to assuming care of patients received by ambulance.

But that funding was not keeping pace with patient growth in York Region. The staff report showed volume of transports to emergency departments increased by 11 per cent annually since 2017, while funding remained stable at $1.2 million annually since 2015.

As well, funding was not increased to cover the costs associated with the new emergency department at Cortellucci Vaughan, it said.

The Regional Chair was asked to write to the Minister of Health requesting increased funding for the Dedicated Offload Nurse Program to support all four emergency departments in York Region.

At the Region of York’s Newmarket headquarters Sept. 15, the Ontario government announced increased funding for the funding for York Region by more than seven per cent.

Ontario is also providing funding of nearly $65 million this year in York Region to help local public health providers cover increased costs.

The province is providing all local public health units an annual one per cent funding increase over the next three years so they can more effectively plan ahead and prepare.

“When governments work together to provide residents with access to the right care at the right time, we can collectively ensure our communities remain strong, caring and safe for more than 1.2 million residents who call York Region home," said Regional chair Wayne Emmerson.