A new partnership between Island Health and BC Emergency Health Services, which oversees the BC Ambulance Service, has created alternate pathways for patients who may not require care at an emergency department.
Link and Referral Units are single paramedics responding in minivans who specialize in assessing and treating 911 patients whose conditions are non-urgent, but do require further medical care, and may be better treated at Urgent and Primary Care Centres. Currently there are several partnerships in place in Victoria and Nanaimo, with talk of expansion.
The main goal for LARU paramedics is to link non-urgent 911 patients with the most appropriate care within the healthcare system, which may be an Urgent or Primary Care Centre UPCC.
Kayla Welwood, Manager, Low Acuity and Integrated Care, BC Emergency Health Services, says their historical response model of care was about taking patients directly to the emergency department.
However, she says they realized that approach doesn’t serve non-emergency patients most appropriately.
Since the partnership began in May, 84 patients have been transported to UPCCs in Greater Victoria.
One of them was a tourist who became injured while visiting Vancouver Island and was taken to a UPCC for treatment, instead of a local emergency department.
People should continue to contact UPCCs directly to schedule appointments for non-urgent medical concerns and call 911 if they or someone in their care is experiencing a medical emergency.
To learn more, visit Island Health.
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