Although there is no common definition of emergency medical
services (EMS), it is recognized that EMS integrates aspects of
both health care and public safety services and reaches into
areas including medical direction, clinical care, public
education, prevention programs and research/evaluation. In
Canada, over two million patients are treat by EMS annually.
To put this statistic into context, five percent of Canada's
population will use EMS annually. Compound or exponential
growth in the number of annual EMS patients, combined with an
enhanced role in disaster management, pandemic response and
other such operations requires the EMS re-examine its current
state, outline future objectives, and devise an approach for
achieving the redefined vision.
EMS
in Canada is at a critical point in its evolution.
Demographic and health care trends point to the increasing
importance of EMS and emergency medicine to Canadians. EMS
has the potential to increase the level of care it provides
through greater training and enhanced technology. In
addition, EMS has significant resources and knowledge that
should contribute more to health care refom by easing staffing
and emergency department space shortages through an expanded
scope of practice, using its reserve capacities, and increasing
the amount of mobile health services such as augmenting home
care and other primary care areas. Finally, EMS should
play a critical role in health promotion through educational
incentives in injury prevention, CPR training and public safety.
In
short, EMS is increasingly an essential health service in Canada
and must continue to evolve with other health care professions.
Creating a national policy framework for this continued
evolution is the core purpose of this research.
The
Emergency Medical Services Chiefs of Canada has written a
document called "The
Future of EMS in Canada: Defining the New Road Ahead".
It talks about, with good detail, where EMS is looking to move
forward. It is a very compelling document and it is
encouraged to be read.
