New Paramedicine Pilot Project Launched in Oxford County

Thursday, 28 May 2020 at 15:33

Oxford County Paramedics Services is teaming up with the South West LHIN Oxford Palliative care Outreach Team for a pilot project, designed to reduce the amount of emergency visits for people in palliative care.

OXFORD COUNTY - Oxford County Paramedics Services, in partnership with the South West LHIN Oxford Palliative Care Outreach Team, has launched a new paramedicine pilot project to help support those in palliative care at home with crisis and symptom management.

The community-based pilot project was created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic with the intent to support surge or overflow capacity for the healthcare system while ensuring that registered at-home palliative-care patients continue to receive the important end-of-life care they require. The pilot project is scheduled to run until October 31, 2020.

The Oxford County Community Paramedicine program will work with primary care providers of palliative-care patients to ensure a coordinated approach to care for these individuals to help manage symptoms and prevent visits to the emergency department. Care can also be provided to those who may benefit from a palliative approach to care but are not yet registered with the Oxford Palliative Care Outreach Team. Paramedics on the team have completed the Pallium Elite LEAP-Paramedic training, advanced medical directives as well as undergone extensive Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) reviews.

Primary care providers, service providers, Local Health Integration Network staff, and caregivers of Palliative Care Outreach Team patients (after initial contact has been made with a nursing agency) can access care from the Community Paramedicine team which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The team is also taking part in the community-based COVID-19 swabbing program announced previously by Oxford County Paramedics for those who cannot access the assessment centre.