OTTAWA PARAMEDIC SERVICE 2014 ANNUAL REPORT OTTAWA PARAMEDIC SERVICE ANNUAL REPORT 2014 2465 Don Reid Dr, Ottawa, ON K1H 1E2 - 613-580-2424 NOTES OF APPRECIATION ...In every case your people are polite, professional We feel great appreciation and respectful of the patient’s dignity. They clearly for our Paramedic Service. care. I don’t know how or where you find these It is only when there is a superb individuals but please, keep doing exactly real need for help that we what you’re doing! can fully understand what a My sincere thanks to your entire team. vital service it is to our city and community. I would like to thank the Paramedics that Our family recently responded when my father suffered a recent experienced this real need heart attack. They diagnosed the issue and for help. We want to relay transported him quickly and safely to the our thanks to the two Heart Institute. Paramedics who came I recognize that there are a lot of times you to our rescue and to the attend a call and brush off what you do as Ottawa Paramedic Service, “just my job”. I want them to know that my for all the good work you do. father is still with us today because of the care they provided. Thank you to all Paramedics for the work they do in our city every day. I had a recent interaction Be proud. with one of your Communications Officers I recently had an acute heart attack in my and want to commend them home. I was not aware of any heart condition, for their calmness, ability to but I felt it was necessary to call 9-1-1. In connect with the patient, and doing so, the excellent and immediate service immediate ability to assess the provided by the Paramedics in getting me location by asking a number to the Heart Institute, saved my life. The of questions, since the exact Paramedics are to be commended for the life location was unknown by the saving procedures that enabled me to be treated caller. The Communications immediately upon arrival at the hospital. Officer helped ease our tension Please convey my gratitude and best wishes to by assuring us that help was those responsible, I will be eternally grateful. on the way. Table of Contents Table Letter from the Chair...................................................................................1 Letter from the Chief ...................................................................................2 Our Service ................................................................................................3 Mission, Vision, Values ..............................................................................4 Our People .................................................................................................5 System Performance ..................................................................................7 Response Volume ......................................................................................7 Response Time Standards ........................................................................9 Paramedic Response Unit ........................................................................10 Ministry of Health and Long Term Care Certification .................................11 Communications Centre System Performance ........................................12 Clinical Excellence ...................................................................................13 Research & Innovation .............................................................................14 Community Partnerships ..........................................................................16 Significant Events .....................................................................................17 Offload Nurse Program............................................................................. 18 Public Accountability .................................................................................19 Looking Ahead ...........................................................................................19 Appendix ...................................................................................................20 As the Chair of the A testament to these service offerings is Community and when I hear from residents who want to share Protective Services their positive experiences and commend the Committee, I am Paramedic staff member who saved a loved pleased to receive one’s life, reassured a worried parent or the 2014 Ottawa provided a calming voice on the other end of Paramedic Service a 9-1-1 call. Annual Report. Response volumes continue to rise as a City Council result of population growth and an aging and the Ottawa demographic, which further demonstrates Paramedic Service the importance of our Paramedic Service. remain dedicated to On behalf of the Community and Protective improving the quality Services Committee, please join me in of life of Ottawa’s residents. The services noted acknowledging the extremely important work of within this report are indicative of the ongoing the Ottawa Paramedic Service and thank them commitment to the community. for providing the highest level of immediate medical care to our residents in need. Council is proud of the investments made to ensure the highest standard of care to our residents. This is demonstrated through providing advanced medical care to critically ill patients, providing life saving instructions over the phone, teaching CPR and First Aid to members of our community, training and responding to specialized events with valued emergency service partners, participating in ground breaking research trials or implementing innovative solutions to provide the highest level of medical care to patients in the most timely manner. Diane Deans, Chair Community and Protective Services Committee Letter from the Chair Ottawa Paramedic Service - 2014 Annual Report Letter from the Chief It is with great pride Notable highlights from 2014 include: that I present the • The successful community paramedicine Ottawa Paramedic pilot partnership with the West Carleton Service 2014 Family Health Centre that assists the Annual Report to elderly population in maintaining their the Community and independence and reducing their calls to Protective Services 9-1-1. Committee and • Several research programs that aim to residents of the improve paramedicine through innovative City of Ottawa. and evidence based practices such as the The members Targeted Engagement Diversion Program of the Ottawa and the Canadian C-Spine study. Paramedic Service • Successful re-certification of the Ottawa are committed Central Ambulance Communications to serving the residents and visitors of the Centre. City of Ottawa through providing the highest • Direct consultation with all staff that sought level of immediate medical care. This report their input regarding the establishment of highlights the performance of the Service the Service’s priorities over the next term over the previous year and shares the many of Council. successful programs and services delivered by our members. They are not only responsible As we look to the future, we recognize some for providing emergency response, triage, of the challenges we face as demand for our treatment and transport for patients during service grows. The members of the Ottawa their time of need but also provide community Paramedic Service remain committed to paramedicine programs, first aid and CPR finding innovative ways in providing the highest instruction as well as emergency dispatching standard of care to all patients. and 9-1-1 call taking for all of Eastern Ontario. Together, the work of the administrative staff, Communications Officers, Equipment and Supply Technicians and Paramedics results in the provision of progressive paramedic care to the residents and visitors of the City of Ottawa. Chief Anthony Di Monte Ottawa Paramedic Service 2 Our Service In 2001, the new City of Ottawa assumed paramedic care in the nation’s capital. The Service responsibility for the delivery of paramedic strives to be a dynamic leader in delivering and services as defined by the Ambulance Act of improving paramedicine, continuously seeking Ontario. The Province of Ontario funds 50% of new knowledge and applying innovation. As land ambulance services and 100% of the cost for an employer, the Ottawa Paramedic Service the Ottawa Central Ambulance Communications champions a safe and supportive work Centre (OCACC). environment based on the core values of trust, integrity and respect. Since 2001, the Service has emerged as a leader, both provincially and nationally, in progressive The Ottawa Paramedic Service provides paramedic service delivery. Through the emergency medical coverage to 2,791 square professionalism and dedication of Equipment kilometers while the OCACC provides dispatching Supply Technicians, Communication Officers, services to over 10,000 square kilometers of Paramedics and administrative staff, a dynamic Eastern Ontario. The Service provides a fully organizational culture of service excellence has integrated advanced life support system delivering been created. state of the art medical services to over one million residents and visitors to the City of Ottawa every The Ottawa Paramedic Service is dedicated to its day. community and patients by providing progressive Table 1: Ottawa Paramedic Service Profile: Area Served City of Ottawa Geographic Coverage 2,791 km2 Base Population 927,118 Daytime Population 997,845 Percentage of Population over age 65 13% Services Provided Advanced Life Support (ALS) Community Paramedicine Program Public Access Defibrillator