This article was originally published by Guelph Today on September 18, 2022.
By Taylor Pace
Hospice Wellington and Guelph-Wellington Paramedic Services (GWPS) have embarked on a new pilot program to help paramedics better understand the palliative care approach.
Last year, GWPS and Hospice Wellington began a pilot program that trained all Guelph-Wellington paramedics to treat palliative patients at home, rather than transporting them to the hospital.
They can also directly transfer palliative patients registered with the program to hospice, if a bed is available. GWPS is one of the only paramedic services in the province able to transport patients in this way.
“This is unique, as paramedics are mandated to transport all patients to a hospital, by the Ministry of Long-term Care,” said Emily Cooper, deputy superintendent for the community paramedicine program. “However, the MLTC approved Hospice Wellington as an ‘alternate destination’ for Guelph-Wellington Paramedic Service.”
One-hundred and twenty patients have been referred to the Paramedics Providing Palliative Care program in Guelph since it kicked off last year.
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