AHS looks to reduce EMS wait times in Calgary through new initiative

A stock photo of an Alberta ambulance. (Getty Images)

Alberta Health Services (AHS) unveiled additional supports for Calgary EMS on Thursday, announcing the creation of a new initiative to help navigate patient flow challenges.

AHS says the newly created Calgary Integrated Operations Centre (IOC) team will work with EMS crews to direct them to the "most appropriate care facility" for each of their patients based on patient need and site capacity.  

"This will occur through the IOC’s coordinated, technology-enabled ‘air-traffic control’ perspective based on information provided by the paramedic crew on scene, as well as real-time data from the sites, including both emergency and acute care capacity," explained a news release.

The IOC team will be composed of specially trained paramedics and acute care inpatient capacity leads, and will help co-ordinate and support patients going into hospital, their stay in hospital and discharge to the community. 

Director of EMS operations in AHS Calgary Zone Curtis Swanson says demand for healthcare and EMS services has increased in the zone over the past several years. 

“Despite an almost 30 per cent increase in demand, EMS continues to respond to calls as expeditiously as possible,” said Swanson. “This team will help us continue that trend.” 

AHS says the Calgary IOC has been modelled on the Edmonton IOC, which was launched in 2019, and will not impact dispatch or 911 call processes currently in place. 

"We know Albertans are concerned with rising EMS pressures, and I’m confident that the new IOC in Calgary will be another tool to help address them by better managing patient flow and helping reduce delays,” said Minister of Health Jason Copping in a news release.