Starting this year, hospitals will be billed for delays that force ambulances to wait long periods of time to drop patients at ERs. Hospital will be billed for any wait beyond 90 minutes, which will drop to 60 minutes in October, and subsequently 30 minutes in April 2012.
“We’re supportive of any initiative that will allow paramedics to be out in the field and responding to calls for people in emergencies,” said Paramedics of Winnipeg, MGEU Local 911 president Chris Broughton.
“Today’s announcement is without doubt a step in the right direction because it will have real, tangible results, or it will enforce the implementation of real, tangible consequences if improvements aren’t achieved. It’s a part of what paramedics have been asking, for sure,” Broughton said.
Coupled with earlier announcements of ambulances now having the ability to go to Misericordia rather than busy ERs, the AEDs legislation requiring defibrillators in public places, the Province’s funding of two more ambulances, the City’s already budgeted addition of one new ambulance next year, more help for overburdened EMS call centre staff soon, and the STARS helicopter – this has been a pretty good few months for paramedics, he said.
“We’re not all the way there yet in providing the kind of system Winnipeggers and Manitobans deserve, but there’s no doubt we’re definitely getting there.”