Serious concerns about Emergency Medical Services in Waterloo Region

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There are serious concerns about Emergency Medical Services in Waterloo Region.

An internal review, and a Ministry of Health investigation, has revealed inconsistencies when it comes to how policies are followed and how certain incidents are documented.

The investigation began in July 2012, after a supervisor saw warning signals not being used on a code four call.  Code four calls are the most serious or urgent calls.  Shortly thereafter, the Ministry of Health launched an external investigation.

The findings of both reviews conclude that paramedics in Waterloo Region use their own discretion when they shouldn’t be.

Still, Waterloo Region’s Commissioner of Health, Dr. Liana Nolan, is confident no paramedics or patients were put in harm’s way.  “We know that no paramedics intended to harm anybody and I think they were exercising discretion where they didn’t have the ability to do.”

26 of the region’s 171 paramedics have been disciplined.  Eight of them received a written warning.  16 were suspended.  And two have lost their jobs.

Nolan says all of those paramedics are unionized employees and not management.  She says the paramedics operated, “really without checks and balances, with management reviewing and saying, ‘no you should do this or shouldn’t do that’.  It was kind of operating in a vacuum.”

The Ministry of Health investigation says Waterloo Region EMS were not breaking numerous rules:

Nolan says the problem is paramedics need to be proactive and the investigation shows they weren’t.

Municipalities don’t monitor the use of lights and sirens by EMS.  But that could change, according to Regional Chair Ken Seiling.  “This will set a new standard, I think, as we monitor this and other municipalities will be monitoring it as well.”

A third party review will be conducted to audit ambulance call reports and will be presented to a regional committee next Tuesday.

Meanwhile, EMS is still looking to recruit a new director.  Arthur Graham from Toronto EMS has been hired for a six month contract.  Former Waterloo EMS Director John Prno was contacted about this report but declined to comment.