Community Paramedicine in Bruce County offers innovative community-based rural healthcare and provides in-person, and virtual, routine assessments and vital sign monitoring for patients that are on a trajectory towards end-of-life or long-term care placement. These additional touch points with the healthcare providers will increase capacity on the LTC waitlist, reduce demand on Emergency Departments, Hospitals, and Paramedic Services, increase connections to Community Support Services, allow the elderly to age in place with dignity and respect, and preserve limited healthcare resources for emergencies.
Bruce County’s Community Paramedicine Program, which launched in January of 2021, provides palliative care, wellness checks, remote care monitoring, CP@Clinics, 911 referrals, outreach, and much more. The Community Paramedicine Team serves interior, lakeshore, and northern municipalities. There are 24 Bruce County Paramedic Services staff trained as Community Paramedics and the County’s robust training plan continues to respond to needs and gaps identified in the community and the healthcare system.
The Community Paramedicine Team is averaging 12-20 visits per day or 4-6 visits per Community Paramedic per day. This includes in-person and virtual support.
- 970 patients have enrolled since the Community Paramedicine Program launched in 2021. 500+ patients remain currently active.
- Since 2021, Community Paramedics have completed over 200 medication administrations, 7000+ home visits, and 350+ referrals to Home & Community Care for further support.
- The Bruce County Community Paramedicine Team uses electric vehicles, traveling over 160,000 km since 2021, with a $1,500 average fleet fuel savings per month.
- CP@Clinic offers routine health assessments, chronic disease screening, and health education in Bruce County Housing Buildings (621 Mary Street, Wiarton, and 915 Huron Terrace, Kincardine) biweekly. The goals are to increase quality of life, reduce Emergency Department and 911 utilization, and identify chronic disease risk factors earlier. 50 unique clients have enrolled and approximately 600 visits have been completed since October 2022.
- Remote Care Monitoring – Using one-time 2022-2023 funding from Ontario Health, this chronic disease management program was developed and is now supporting 60 enrolled patients. Patients are provided biometric monitoring devices to take daily vital signs (Blood Pressure, Heart Rate, Oxygen, Weight, Blood Glucose). Alerts are generated when vital signs fall out of established parameters. 300+ alerts were generated since January 2023. Community Paramedics escalate support as needed to Primary Care, 911, or the Emergency Department.
“Bruce County Community Paramedicine strives to meet individuals where they are on their journey, and provide patient-centered, collaborative, and community-based healthcare across Bruce County. There are continued opportunities for Community Paramedicine locally and provincially,” said Paramedic Services Chief Steve Schaus. “Supporting continued programs and growth will require stable, annual funding and ongoing advocacy and program evaluation.”
About Bruce County Paramedic Services: Bruce County Paramedic Services employs a staff of about 100 Full-time and Part-time paramedics that provide pre-hospital care to citizens and visitors of Bruce County. We respond to medical and trauma emergencies with a fleet of 12 ambulances and three supervisor units that are stationed in seven communities across the County but can be deployed anywhere as needed.
Discover more about Bruce County Paramedic Services.
