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Community Paramedicine

British Columbia is improving access to health care in rural and remote communities by expanding the role of qualified paramedics.

Community paramedics provide primary care services to increase access to basic health care services in non-urgent settings, in patients’ homes or the community. This is done within their training and experience and in partnership with local health care providers.

 

COVID health authority clinic support

As of February 26, 2021, community paramedics are able to augment staffing COVID-19 testing centres in the 99 communities they serve. At the direction of the health authorities, community paramedics can provide COVID-19 testing to patients five years of age or older at COVID-19 collection centres. 

As of March 18, community paramedics are also able to participate as vaccinators in COVID-19 immunization clinics, in compliance with PHO SARS 2 CoV 19 - March 18th, 2021 for Emergency Medical Assistants.

To preschedule a community paramedic for a health authority-sponsored clinic, please complete the Community Paramedicine Request for Outreach form. 

COVID home-based diagnostic & immunization service 

You can pre-schedule a community paramedic to provide one of the following in home services: 

  1. COVID immunization:
    As of May 26, 2021, signed-off community paramedics working under the virtual supervision of a health professional may administer second-dose COVID vaccines to homebound or isolated community members in the communities currently supported by the Community Paramedic service. (See supervisor role expectations card (PDF).)
  2. COVID testing:
    As of March 26th, 2021, community paramedics are also able to accept requests for home-based COVID-19 testing on their scheduled workdays. This is for isolated or immobile patients, or for those in small, congregate living situations in communities already supported by community paramedics. 
For home-based services, please submit an Urgent Primary Care Service form. We have outlined detailed information about these services, the communities available, and the requirements in the instructions attached to the form.

Please note: the form will be unavailable on June 24th from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. due to a systems upgrade.

Once a service request is received, the community paramedic coordinators will confirm whether it can be completed in the required time period. These requests are subject to safety assessments, and we may ask requestors to assist with providing a second employee to provide employee safety requirements.

If you have any questions about availability or the request process, please contact the community paramedic coordinators by email at CP.Coordinators@bcehs.ca, or by phone at 604-829-4046, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday.

 

Community paramedicine in BC is intended primarily for older patients living with chronic conditions such as heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and diabetes, or who are at risk of falls. All patients must be referred by their primary care physician or local health care provider.

Community paramedics also provide community services including outreach and awareness activities, clinical education delivery, and group clinical assessments.


To refer a patient:

To request an outreach service:

As of March 2024, all patient and community outreach requests should be completed using the digital forms that are linked above.  A centralized coordinator team will work with you and the community paramedic to process the requests.  If you have any questions or concerns regarding our referral process, please contact the CP coordinators at 1-855-353-5116 or CP.Coordinators@bcehs.ca.


See the attached Community Contacts (PDF) for a list of communities offering community paramedicine services.

Questions? Email CommunityParamedicine@bcehs.ca

 
Community Paramedicine offers a suite of virtual health services, including telehealth and Zoom virtual visits; virtual visits with primary care givers facilitated by community paramedics; and remote patient monitoring to support the needs of clients. 

Home health monitoring (HHM) is a remote patient service to monitor key health indicators. The service aims to improve patients' knowledge of their chronic disease and how to self-manage their health better. 

Community paramedics access an online clinical dashboard that allows greater access to trending vitals for early response. This helps them to identify declines in patients' health, and minimizes acute care visits. The web-based, low tech and no-cost kit is available to patients with heart failure (HF), COPD, multi-morbidity (HF/COPD), diabetes, and those needing palliative supportive care. It augments remote patient monitoring services offered by regional health authorities.
 

Video about the Community Paramedicine Program

 
SOURCE: Community Paramedicine ( )
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