Patient transfer delays at emergency rooms are tying up Toronto ambulances: City
Posted January 13, 2022 11:05 am.
Last Updated January 13, 2022 11:22 am.
Hospital staff shortages that cause patient transfer delays at emergency rooms are the “biggest factor” keeping Toronto ambulances off the streets, the City explained on Thursday.
The issue of ambulance availability in Toronto was frighteningly thrust into the public eye when the union representing paramedics in the city tweeted that for a period of time on Saturday there were no ambulances available.
#CodeRed No units available in the City at 18:38 hours tonight.
— TO Paramedic Union (@416TPSUnit) January 9, 2022
COVID-related illness and isolation requirements among paramedics are exacerbating the problem, with the City saying absence rates on Wednesday hit 17 per cent — almost double the rate of around 9 per cent in non-pandemic times.
Due to COVID-related illness, isolation requirements and other illnesses, absence rates in Toronto Paramedic Services yesterday was 17%. In non-pandemic times, unplanned absences are about 9%.
— City of Toronto (@cityoftoronto) January 13, 2022
As a result, the City says “low priority calls continue to be delayed.”
Toronto Fire Service is also picking up the slack, responding to around 10 per cent of high-priority calls, the City outlined in a series of tweets.
Low priority calls continue to be delayed as paramedics are diverted to high priority calls when they come in, with Toronto Fire Service responding to about 10% of those calls right now.
— City of Toronto (@cityoftoronto) January 13, 2022
Despite the strain, the City is assuring residents that an ambulance will always be dispatched in an emergency. “Toronto Paramedic Services’ emergency medical dispatchers are experts at triaging all emergency calls, diverting ambulances to high priority calls,” the City tweeted.
The City tried to reassure residents that Saturday’s Code Red was a rare event, saying on Wednesday there were 117 ambulances in service, just three short of the 120 maximum in non-pandemic times.
Delays faced by paramedics in transferring patients at hospital emergency departments is the biggest challenge in getting ambulances back on the street as quickly as possible.
— City of Toronto (@cityoftoronto) January 13, 2022
