News & Press
Press Release - February 6 2018
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PAPEI & Mikinduri: Children of Hope Partnership
The Paramedic Association of PEI (PAPEI) and Mikinduri: Children of Hope (MCOH) have partnered together creating opportunities for Island paramedics to support a local charity and work in humanitarian capacities abroad. PAPEI has developed a committee dedicated to supporting humanitarian initiatives which will focus in-part on supporting MCOH by providing volunteer resources locally and abroad. MCOH is a local charity that provides a number of poverty relief initiatives in Mikinduri and Mageta Island, Kenya. Initiatives include agriculture and economic development, micro-lending, provision of safe food and water, rehabilitation and community based healthcare, education, school building and school feeding programs. PAPEI will support MCOH with local fundraising events, including their new online lottery ‘Mikinduri’s Weekly Win-Win 50/50,’ for which you can purchase tickets here: https://winwin.mikinduri.com. Currently, Island Primary Care Paramedic Greg MacAdam is with a team from MCOH in Mageta Island, Kenya and teaching sexual health and HIV prevention to young boys. You can read more about Greg’s experience on his blog post here: https://mikinduri.com/1606-2. PAPEI is looking forward to exploring the ways in which this partnership can flourish and pave the way for Island paramedics to give back to the local and international community.
For media inquiries please contact:
Collin Dares
Secretary
Paramedic Association of PEI
Ted Grant
President
Mikinduri: Children of Hope
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Mikinduri: Children of Hope’s (MCOH) Community-Based Healthcare Committee (CBHC). Pictured (left to right): Gaylene Smith (MCOH VP of Programs), Peter Mutch (MCOH), Denise Bustard (MCOH), Greg MacAdam (PAPEI Humanitarian Committee), Kathy Mutch (MCOH CBHC Chair), Chelsea McLean (PAPEI Treasurer), Rachel Little (PAPEI Humanitarian Committee Chair), and Collin Dares (PAPEI Secretary).
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Press Release - December 10 2018
PAPEI 2018 Paramedic of the Year Award
On Friday, December 7, 2018 the Paramedic Association of PEI (PAPEI) awarded Kenny Ramsay of Alberton, PE the Paramedic of the Year award for 2018. This annual award recognizes a paramedic for excellence in their professional and community endeavors through a process of peer nomination. Kenny is an Advanced Care Paramedic (ACP) with Island EMS serving his community as a Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) Paramedic. Kenny is also a dedicated firefighter, paramedic educator, and Medical First Responder (MFR) instructor. A letter of nomination proclaimed: “Kenny is well known in the Western region of PEI for going above-and-beyond duty to provide the best possible care and compassion for his patients… There are very few of us respected in our community like Kenny Ramsay and the respect he receives is well deserved.”
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For media inquiries please contact:
Kyna MacInnis
Central Representative
Paramedic Association of PEI
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Pictured (left to right): Darby McCormick, Kenny Ramsay, and Kyna MacInnis.
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Press Release - September 5 2018
Breaking Barriers: First Responder Mental Health Symposium
On Saturday, September 8th 2018 the Paramedic Association of PEI (PAPEI) will host the 3rd annual ‘Breaking Barriers: First Responder Mental Health Symposium’ at Rodd Royalty located at 14 Capital Dr. in beautiful Charlottetown, PEI. Attracting almost 100 professionals from across the country our 3rd annual Breaking Barriers Symposium is open to all first responders, allied professionals and respective students. The event serves as an important opportunity for members of the first responder community to discuss the impact their role may have on their mental health.
PAPEI is proud to announce a special guest from Cariboo-Prince George, BC, Member of Parliament Todd Doherty, who introduced private members Bill C-211 - Federal Framework on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Act that received Royal Assent. Local presenters include Firefighter and Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Director of Programs and Policy Amanda Brazil; Firefighter Joe Driscoll; counselling therapist and trauma-informed yoga instructor Dianne Birt; and former physician and author of "The Golden Boy" Grant Matheson. Also speaking will be Jamie Fox, MLA for Borden-Kinkora, who is a military veteran and former police officer. Jamie introduced private members Bill 102 - An Act to Amend the Workers Compensation Act to include PTSD to cover all workers which was proclaimed law on May 31st 2018. Vendors from PEI include Venture Stables, Fog Off Clothing, Spartan Wellness, Indigo!, and Dreams2Heal.
PAPEI and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 3324 will also be unveiling a limited-edition Bill 102 Challenge Coin in celebration of Bill 102, the private members bill that was proclaimed on May 31st 2018. The new legislation includes workplace stressors and PTSD as compensable under the Workers Compensation Act of Prince Edward Island. Everyone in attendance will receive the Challenge Coin.
For more information on the ‘Breaking Barriers: First Responder Mental Health Symposium’ visit https://www.paramedicassociationpei.com/breaking-barriers and for more information on the ‘PAPEI & CUPE Bill 102 Challenge Coin’ see the additional press release as attached or visit https://www.paramedicassociationpei.com/news-press for past, present and future press releases from PAPEI.
For media inquiries please contact:
Tara Vasil
Eastern Representative, Breaking Barriers Event Coordinator
Paramedic Association of PEI
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Press Release - August 8 2018
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Summerside – The Paramedic Association of Prince Edward Island (PAPEI) and Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 3324 are gearing up to unveil a Commemorative Challenge Coin in celebration of Bill 102, the private’s members bill that was proclaimed on May 31st,2018. The new legislation includes work place stressors and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (P.T.S.D) as compensable under the Workers Compensation Act of Prince Edward Island.
“This is very exciting and will be a token of appreciation for our members and all the time that both PAPEI and CUPE Local 3324 spent working on this legislation.” says Ryan O’Meara, President of PAPEI “Although, the new legislation is not perfect and does have some “fail safes” in it, i.e. only recognizes PTSD diagnostics from psychiatrists and psychologists, we are very relived that we have some law to compensate all workers on Prince Edward Island for work related stressors and PTSD” said, Jason Woodbury, President of CUPE Local 3324.
“I believe this Commemorative Coin will remind our members and all workers on PEI, that we need to continue lobbying efforts to seek improvements, like to recognize physicians’ capacity to make PTSD diagnosis and other mental health supports for workers across PEI” Concluded, Woodbury.
The official release of the Commemorative Coin will be on September 8th,2018 at PAPEI’s "Breaking Barriers: First Responder Mental Health Symposium" that is being held in Charlottetown. The coins will be revealed with MLA Jamie Fox, Politician and former Police Officer, who brought forward the private members Bill 102. Everyone registered for the event will receive one of these limited-edition PEI Bill 102 PTSD Challenge Coins. Registration of this event is open to all first responders, family of first responders, allied health professionals, and the general public; and can be completed through the PAPEI website www.paramedicassociationpei.com/breaking-barriers.
For more information, please contact:
Ryan O’Meara
Jason Woodbury
Press Release - April 11 2018
Paramedics and Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH)
Paramedics working in Prince Edward Island are highly trained healthcare professionals who have the knowledge and expertise to do more for Islanders - with high quality patient care and safety as our highest priority. Having an essential and unique responsibility within our healthcare system, we are often only seen as providers of emergency medical care. However the Paramedic profession has evolved to encompass a more comprehensive role and is adapting to help fill gaps in services for the populations we serve. We can be thought of as the tip of the healthcare spear - witnessing the most intimate aspects of a patient’s life and living conditions. Sometimes it’s difficult for people to get the care they need but as patient advocates, mobile in the community, Paramedics are uniquely positioned to connect patients to the support and services that they may require.
All Paramedics in PEI must have successfully completed a Primary Care Paramedicine (PCP) diploma program, and if they so choose, they may continue their education to the Advanced Care Paramedic (ACP) level, and/ or receive a Bachelor’s of Science in Paramedicine (BScP). Paramedic education has rapidly advanced and Advanced Care Paramedics complete a total of 3570 hours of in-class and on-the-job training during an accredited Paramedicine program.
Paramedics in PEI are excited to implement new models of care into our practice. One such project is the upcoming Mobile Integrated Healthcare program (MIH) which serves to identify patients requiring additional short term support and builds collaboration with other health and wellness agencies. The program is designed to provide a seamless transition between components of the healthcare continuum and represents a transition from reactive to proactive healthcare. Mobile Integrated Healthcare is a natural evolution of Paramedicine and similar programs have been implemented across Canada and around the world. This has resulted in measurable improvements in healthcare. Paramedic facilitated MIH programs have successfully reduced the transport of enrolled patients to emergency departments (ED) by 63% in parts of Ontario (1). In Nova Scotia, MIH programs have reduced visits to a rural ED by 23% (3) and reduced transport from enrolled patients in Long-Term Care facilities to ED by 74% (2). The Toronto Paramedic Service MIH program identifies frequent users of emergency medical services (EMS) and provides a scheduled Paramedic check-in to these clients, reducing 911 activation by up to 50% in this population (5). All of these programs seek to relieve the pressure on Canadas’ already overburdened hospital-based healthcare systems. Paramedics can, and want to do more to help.
In PEI, the Paramedics Providing Palliative Care at Home program has been enormously successful, treating 31% of patients at home, thereby avoiding transport to hospital and allowing patients to remain where they want to be (4). The Paramedics Providing Palliative Care at Home initiative has received two awards since its launch in 2016. In 2017 the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvements’ CEO awarded the program the “Palliative and End of Life Care Innovation Award” and the Health PEI Board of Directors awarded the initiative for “Leadership in Excellence, Quality and Safety.” Island Paramedics have a proven track record of embracing change and working with other allied health practitioners.
The Province has recently announced that Mobile Integrated Healthcare will initially take three forms. The new programs include: Rapid Bridging - Integrated Palliative Care Program; Rapid Bridging - Hospital and Emergency Department Patients; and the Paramedic Check-In Program. These programs are in no way duplicating existing services and are designed to help patients either remain in their home or transition back to their homes sooner, subject to their healthcare needs and subjective desires of the patient. These innovative programs are expected to decrease ED visits for non-emergency complaints, shorten hospital length of stay (LOS) and readmission rates, reduce long-term care LOS, reduce the number of 911 calls and transport rates of frequent EMS users, and improve patient outcomes and satisfaction (6). The Paramedic Association of PEI is eager to continue helping Paramedicine in PEI adapt to better serve our communities. We look forward to working with our provincial partners in healthcare.
Paramedic 'Check-in' Program
This program aims to serve those who live at home and pose a risk for poor health outcomes. Paramedics may check in with patients who called 911 and chose to stay home after Paramedic assessment or to provide assistance to individuals with chronic disease and special needs. Paramedics can help to ensure that these patients live in safe environments and have adequate social and physical support. Paramedics can refer patients found to be in further need to allied health and wellness agencies in this population.
Rapid Bridging - Hospital and Emergency Department Patients
This program aims to serve eligible patients who are discharged from hospital or emergency departments but still require short term support at home. Paramedics will work in collaboration with Home Care nurses and allied healthcare professionals, or until Home Care can assume responsibility for patient care to ensure the unique needs of the patient are met and that they can remain in the comfort of their own home.
Rapid Bridging - Integrated Palliative Care Program
This program aims to aid the patients’ transition into the palliative care program and provide support to these patients in conjunction with the Provincial Integrated Palliative Care Program.
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For media inquiries contact:
Ryan O’Meara
President, Paramedic Association of PEI (PAPEI)
Email: paramedicsofpei@gmail.com
www.paramedicsassociationpei.com
References:
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“What We Do - Year in Review.” Medavie Health Services www.medavie.ca/assets/images/general/AnnualReview2016.pdf.
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“Halifax seniors-only service eyed as solution to EHS woes” http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/halifax-seniors-only-service-eyed-as-solution-to-ehs-woes-1.1327055
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“Community Paramedicine: A Part of an Integrated Health Care System.” International Roundtable for Community Paramedicine, ircp.info/Portals/11/Downloads/Expanded Role/Community Paramedicine.pdf?ver=2013-10-24-113300-000.
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Measham, J. “Paramedics Providing Palliative Care at Home.” Island EMS Annual Report 2016-2017, 2017.
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Roffey, M. “Community Referral by EMS (CREMS).” Personal communication, 2018.
“Canada-Prince Edward Island Home and Community Care and Mental Health and Addictions Services Funding Agreement” Govenrment of Canada, https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/corporate/transparency/health-agreements/shared-health-priorities/prince-edward-island.html, 2018.
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