Paramedics now have the authority to arrange fixed-wing transport of critically-ill or seriously-injured patients from Terrace directly to trauma hospitals in Prince George or Vancouver as a result of a B.C. Ambulance Service policy change announced Thursday.
The BCAS determined the previous system wasted time because it prevented paramedics from making the decision on whether an air evacuation was necessary.
"Before March 1, physicians in Terrace's Mills Memorial Hospital emergency department were the only people who could activate the critical care transport paramedic team and aircraft to rush a critically ill or injured patient to Prince George or Vancouver," said BCAS chief operating officer Les Fisher.
"Now, when paramedics arrive at the scene of a 911 call, they can determine if the patient may need to be airlifted to a special-care hospital. They will activate the critical care transport paramedics and aircraft to begin preparing for the emergency flight right away."
Until March 1, paramedics were required to bring the patient by ambulance to the closest hospital for examination by an emergency physician, who would determine if a higher level of care was needed, then that doctor would contact the BCAS critical care transport program and BC Bedline to arrange the emergency flight.
In some cases, air ambulance planes were already in the air transporting less severely injured or ill patients when the more serious call came in, further delaying that critical care patient's evacuation.
"Timely care is essential for better patient outcomes, and the early fixed wing activation program will get patients to the right place as fast as possible," said Dr. John Ryan, BCAS medical director for Northern B.C. and the Prince George-based trauma director for Northern Health at University Hospital of Northern B.C.
"We don't expect that many patients will need this service, but for those who do, quick access to a higher level of care can make a dramatic difference in their chances of survival and recovery."
The early fixed-wing activation program will still require paramedics to transport the patient to hospital and the attending physician will decide within 30 minutes whether to evacuate to UHNBC, Vancouver General Hospital of BC Children's Hospital. If an air evacuation is needed, the plane and critical care paramedic team must be available and prepared to fly immediately.
"The early fixed-wing activation program has been in place for two years on northern Vancouver Island and it has significantly reduced the time for major trauma patients to get to the specialized care they need," said Fisher. "The program is expanding to Terrace and will include the entire Northern Health region in the months to come.
