Renowned as the Classic Car Capital of Canada and The Maple City, the largely rural southwestern Ontario municipality of Chatham-Kent boasts a rich history. It served as the final stop of the Underground Railroad and claims to be where Hawaiian pizza was invented!

Building on this ingenuity, Chatham-Kent is also where an innovative solution was introduced to meet the distinct healthcare needs of its increasingly diverse population of 100,000+ people.

Leading the Way in Community-first Care

Chatham-Kent Emergency Medical Services (EMS) has, for more than 20 years, been a leader of collaborative, proactive and holistic health care programs. This forward-thinking approach extends care beyond hospital walls, making it accessible in the homes, towns and cities of Canadians, and ultimately easing the strain on local health care systems.

Community Paramedicine and Mobile Integrated Health programs bring high-quality care to patients from the comfort of their homes, or places where they reside, delivered by teams of dedicated paramedics and allied health professionals.

Services range from a province-wide mobile service in Prince Edward Island that supports those experiencing mental health issues to a health bus that provides dental services and paramedicine support to seven First Nation communities in Saskatchewan.

Together, these programs form a ground-breaking model of health care delivery developed and managed by the operating companies of Medavie Health Services, like Chatham-Kent EMS, Elgin EMS, Island EMS, Emergency Medical Care (EMC), and Medavie Health Services West, in collaboration with government partners.

Community-first models expand the role of paramedics and dismantle barriers to care. Programs provide preventive services to underserved, at-risk, and identified populations and complement existing community-based healthcare. Moreover, these programs limit unnecessary calls to 911 and visits to the emergency room, ensuring critical resources remain available for urgent and life-and-death situations.

Removing Barriers to Care and Improving Outcomes

Below are examples of how community paramedicine and mobile integrated health programs improve access to care, improve health outcomes, and reduce the pressure on traditional and more costly models of care.

❯ Chatham-Kent Community Paramedicine Program

Provides free in-home assessments and treatment for high-risk patients and those living with complex medical issues, such as diabetes, congestive heart failure, and frequent falls that may be prone to hospital re-admission.

Outcomes:

• 72% reduction in 911 calls
• 63% reduction in ER visits

❯ Chatham-Kent Seasonal Care Clinic

Provided timely clinical care services to individuals with cough, cold and flu symptoms, and other minor ailments.

• 15-20% reduction in ER visits
• Has served over 1,000 patients as of February 15, 2024

❯ Chatham-Kent MobileCare Health Bus

A mobile health clinic that improves access to primary care and mental health services.

• Has served 310 patients as of February 15, 2024

❯ Mobile Mental Health Service - Prince Edward Island

Provides rapid patient assessment and support to those with mental health conditions.

• Has responded to 7,000+ calls, helping over 4,500 residents since 2011

❯ Saskatoon Tribal Health Bus – Saskatchewan

A Canadian first, this bus travels to First Nation communities five days a week, offering dental services, community paramedicine, and mental health support.

• Supports over 15,000 First Nation people annually

❯ Saskatoon Health Bus – Saskatchewan

Operating in downtown Saskatoon, this mobile clinic provides primary care services, from blood sugar checks to flu vaccines to patients who can “drop in” without an appointment. Services are targeted to patients who are geographically, socially, economically and/or culturally isolated.

• Has won national awards for its unique delivery of health care to Saskatoon’s vulnerable citizens.

❯ Cape Breton Community Paramedic Program

Since December 2018, this program has seen community paramedics perform in-home services and clinical support. Telecare nurses provide virtual care services up to 72 hours after being discharged from the Cape Breton Regional Hospital and Glace Bay General Hospital in-patient units or Emergency Departments. It is one of several community-centered paramedic programs in Nova Scotia, including the Extended Care Paramedic program in Halifax Regional Municipality, which focuses on long-term care facilities.

❯ Elgin Community Paramedicine Program – Ontario

Together with community partners, the Elgin-St Thomas Community Paramedicine Program is celebrating its first anniversary, providing innovative community-based care to citizens of Elgin-St Thomas. They have played a crucial role in providing accessible healthcare services, improving health outcomes, and reducing emergency room visits and hospital admissions.

• Total number of visits completed - 1431 (as of February 22, 2024)

As illustrated above, these examples demonstrate the creation of new solutions that enhance the capabilities of paramedics through public-private-sector partnerships. This approach ensures the delivery of optimal care to the right patients, in the right place.