The provincial government is taking steps to improve emergency medical services (EMS) response times with a new investment.
In 2023-24, the government of Alberta is investing $723 million in operating funds for EMS to support EMS priority actions, including additional ambulances, workforce initiatives, training and mental health supports, enhancements to the medical first response program, public education and response, and expanding the vital health response program.
“We are adding new ambulances and front-line staff and investing in solutions now and into the future to make sure ambulances arrive as fast as possible when Albertans call 911 for a medical emergency,” said Jason Copping, Minister of Health.
The funding boost will support implementing the Health Care Action Plan priorities, and Alberta EMS Provincial Advisory Committee recommendations to improve response time, and work culture, a government of Alberta press release said.
“Budget 2023 delivers the needed support to the front line and adds more resources to implement the Alberta EMS Provincial Advisory Committee recommendations. The additional funding will help ease worker fatigue and provide more mental health support to improve the work environment for all EMS staff,” said RJ Sigurdson, parliamentary secretary, of EMS Reform.
To improve response time, more staff and ambulances will be on Alberta roadways, and more than $1.5 million will be allocated to hire and train staff to improve the central dispatch system.
“Front-line staff and community partners asked for more support to create better work environments,” the release said.
Budget 2023 allocates funding to improve scheduling practices for more breaks, more flexibility in the length of shifts, opportunities to take time off and provides more training and development opportunities.
Nearly $1 million will go towards boosting mental health support for EMS staff across the province, and $3 million will address paramedic fatigue in rural communities, the release said.
“This funding increase enables aggressive action on our priority of improving emergency response times. We will hire more staff, increase hours of ambulance capacity, expand partnerships with other community supports and deliver innovative projects. This is about getting Albertans the care they need, where and when they need it,” said Mauro Chies, president and CEO, of Alberta Health Services.
Alberta’s Health Care Action Plan is addressing EMS response times by transferring non-urgent calls to Health Link.
“All these actions will reduce EMS response time by empowering paramedics to focus efforts on urgent calls and diverting them away from situations when their level of care is not medically required,” the release said.
