AMEMSO Has Many Hands, Faces and Friends… These Are Just a Few of Them
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Association of Municipal Emergency Medical Services of Ontario Premier Issue | Winter 2008 AMEMSO has many Hands, Faces and Friends… These are just a few of them. Canada Post Publications Agreement Number 40609661 EMS Matters The official magazine of the Association of Municipal Emergency Medical Services of Ontario Winter 2008 Published for: The Association of Municipal Emergency Medical Services of Ontario (AMEMSO) Paul J. Charbonneau, President Frontenac Paramedic Service 2069 Battersea Road Glenburnie, ON K0H 1S0 (613) 578-9400 [email protected] www.emsontario.ca Opinions expressed in articles, reports or other content within EMS Matters are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of AMEMSO or its Board of Directors. Published by: Matrix Group Inc. Publication Mail Agreement Number 40609661 Return Undeliverable Addresses to: 52 Donald Street Winnipeg, MB R3C 1L6 Toll Free Phone: (866) 999-1299 Toll Free Fax: (866) 244-2544 www.matrixgroupinc.net President & CEO Jack Andress Senior Publisher Maurice LaBorde Publisher & Director of Sales contents Joe Strazzullo [email protected] Messages: Editor-in-Chief 7 Message from the President of AMEMSO, Paul Charbonneau Shannon Lutter 9 Welcome to EMS Matters [email protected] Editor Jon Waldman Reports: [email protected] 10 OBHG Prepares for Exciting Year Ahead Finance/Accounting & Administration 13 ORNGE: Virtual Hospital through Innovative Transport Medicine Shoshana Weinberg, Nathan Redekop, Pat Andress 17 Introduction of the Ontario Paramedic Association (OPA) [email protected] 18 2007: The Year of the Flood Director of Marketing & Circulation Jim Hamilton Features: Sales Manager Neil Gottfred 23 Green Future Sales Team Leader 25 Redefining Tiered Response in Ontario Declan O’Donovan Matrix Group Inc. Account Executives Conference Report: Travis Bevan, Albert Brydges, Lewis Daigle, 29 Reflections... Rick Kuzie, Miles Meagher, Marlene Moshenko, Ken Percival, Kelly Pound, Brian Saiko, Peter Schulz, 30 The Richard J. Armstrong Leadership Award Vicki Sutton 31 The EMS Chiefs of Canada Layout & Design 34 Emergency Medical Services—Exemplary Service Medal J. Peters ON THE COVER: Advertising Design Association Information: AMEMSO’s many James Robinson hands, faces and 35 Upcoming Events friends are part of 35 AMEMSO Board Members ©2008 Matrix Group Inc. All rights reserved. our premier issue. Contents may not be reproduced by any means, 36 AMEMSO Strategic Partners (Photos courtesy of in whole or in part, without the prior written 37 A Day in the Life of AMEMSO permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed AMEMSO, ORNGE and in this publication are not necessarily those of 38 Buyer’s Guide GlobalMedic). Matrix Group Inc. www.emsontario.ca | 5 | Message from the President of AMEMSO | We have seen many successes in the areas of partnerships and improvement of ambulance standards by working with AMO and Emergency Health Services. We continue to value and build these partnerships for the enhancement of EMS in Ontario. By Paul Charbonneau, President, AMEMSO WELCome to the PRemIER EDITION of EMS gala. During this event, current industry leaders in the provision Matters, the Association of Municipal Emergency Medical Services of EMS care join together to share information and best practices of Ontario (AMEMSO) magazine. and to review new trends and patient treatment modalities. EMS matters to the paramedics who provide service at the The focus for the coming year is to continue to bring street level and bring their skills and expertise to the patient in education to our municipal EMS managers, look at diverse ways need. EMS matters to the dispatch staff who receive the initial of managing our assets, and continuously looking at Provincial call for help. EMS matters to supervisors and managers who methods of patient care delivery and standards. lead our resources during emergency care. EMS matters to the It is our pleasure to bring EMS Matters to you, and we look municipal and provincial politicians who strive to balance of the forward to your input and know you will find our magazine delivery of service to the residents of their communities. Most current, informative and the heart of EMS in Ontario. of all, EMS matters to the citizens of Ontario who become our patients; it matters to their peace of mind and comfort to know that, when needed, our EMS system will be there for them. AMEMSO is comprised of municipal emergency medical services, designated delivery agents, upper tier municipalities, First Nations EMS and ORNGE throughout Ontario. Our Association began as a venue to exchange information among those who were in the process of downloading ambulance services to the Municipalities throughout 2000 and 2001. The Association was incorporated in 2002 and we have grown now to 100 per cent municipal membership in 2007 so that the smallest to the largest EMS services in Ontario are represented. The Association has helped to build a strong provincial voice for EMS in the province. We are dedicated to the advancement and the promotion of Emergency Medical Services in Ontario. Our principal areas of interest include excellence in customer service, best practices, performance standards and measurements, administrative and operational efficiencies, vehicle and equipment standards and innovation and policy development and promotion. Our membership is committed to working together as a team to provide all members with information they may require to provide ambulance service to their residents. In addition, AMEMSO works with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) to exchange information. This exchange of information and communication is key to the improvement of EMS in Ontario. We have seen many successes in the areas of partnerships and improvement of ambulance standards by working with AMO and Emergency Health Services. We continue to value and build these partnerships for the enhancement of EMS in Ontario. AMEMSO hosts the annual Exemplary Service Medal awards ceremony and www.emsontario.ca | 7 | Message from Communications and Media Relations | Welcome to EMS Matters By Jim Price, Communications and Media Relations, AMEMSO ON BehaLF of AMEMSO challenge our members to do better. We lead the industry by AND the Editorial Team, I am advancing the causes of both the grass roots needs and the pleased to welcome you to EMS management philosophy necessary to build a world-class EMS Matters. In the spring of 2007, the system. Board of Directors made a commitment Volunteer boards are driven by the vision of individuals who, to focus on communication as one of its key goals. The launch of while watching the horizon, keep their eyes on the daily issues. this magazine is a visible part of that endeavour. A significant “thank you” is appropriate for our industry The launch of a periodical can be stressful. We have been suppliers. It is through the support of these advertisers that this extremely fortunate to have received multiple submissions from magazine is possible. I would also recognize the magazine editorial a broad base of sources. The team sought a balance between board and working group. information and education. EMS Matters is not intended to be There is one individual who must have special mention. Past a commercial entity nor is it intended to be a collection of President Terri Burton of Muskoka has a gift for multi-tasking. clippings. We seek informative, first-person articles about real She has the innate understanding of when to lead and when to life and real challenges concerning EMS in Ontario. This will be contribute. The unselfish gift of her time has been key to this the continuing theme as we move forward. launch and to the quality of the product we now present. She is but In its preparation, AMEMSO considered its “Unique Selling one example of the talent to be found within AMEMSO membership. Proposition”. In this case, it is not about besting the competition I hope you enjoy this premier issue. Your thoughts but rather in finding the core of its reason to be. We support and suggestions are welcome and may be forwarded to me at our members by sharing life experiences and best practices. We [email protected]. www.emsontario.ca | 9 | Reports | OBHG Prepares for Exciting Year Ahead MONITORING AND ENSURING THE QUALITY of patient care and MAKING the most of service delivery is a vital element of any ambulance system. In Ontario the function of PRE–HOSPITAL clinical data monitoring the appropriateness and quality of patient care is provided by a series of in Ontario! designated base hospital programs. The medical director of each base hospital program is responsible for certifying and delegating to each paramedic the authority to perform In early 2003 a multi-agency com- controlled medical acts. The base hospital medical director and other qualified emer- mittee was struck to, “advise the gency medical physicians monitor the quality of care provided by paramedics. Director of Emergency Health Services Branch, on information gathering and I am pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to the new AMEMSO magazine database issues relating to the provi- on behalf of the Ontario Base Hospital Group (OBHG). sion of ambulance based pre-hospital I would like to congratulate everyone on the first-class EMS leadership conference care in Ontario.” in Toronto this past September. The annual conference is a good example of how a The group’s mandate also included, strong OBHG/AMEMSO partnership can contribute to progress for the EMS system in “reviewing and updating patient data Ontario. collection and data reporting stan- The base hospital restructuring process is reaching its penultimate stage. The suc- dards and practices, necessary to meet cess of any new base hospital system will be measured by its ability to deliver key the current and emerging needs of services to the EMS providers and, by extension, our patients.