On-going

Way Forward Commitment:

The creation of a Centralized Medical Dispatch Centre was recommended in a 2013 review of the Provincial Ambulance Program as the critical first step towards an integrated emergency response system. Implementation of Centralized Medical Dispatch Centre will enable the program to respond to changing demand and reallocate resources in a timely and efficient manner based on need. Implementation of a Centralized Medical Dispatch Centre also allows for collection of data necessary for the future design of a revised Emergency Management Services (EMS) system.

In 2017-18, our Government will define the requirements for a Centralized Medical Dispatch Centre for the Provincial Ambulance Program, after which time the Centre will be established.

What We’ve Accomplished:

• The Department of Health and Community Services engaged Fitch and Associates and other industry experts around the appropriate design for a Centralized Medical Dispatch Centre. As a first step, Eastern Health has consolidated dispatch for their region in a single centre and implemented a computer-aided dispatch system.
• Eastern Health is finalizing the implementation of a pilot project to incorporate the dispatch requirements for Carbonear General Hospital into their St. John’s-based Medical Communications Centre.