A new plan by Essex-Windsor EMS is expected to help with emergency department wait times.
Chief Bruce Krauter explains if a patient outside of Windsor calls for an ambulance, and paramedics determine that treatment is needed but is non-urgent, that person will be taken to Leamington District Memorial Hospital. "Those off-load delays (in Windsor) can last up to four and five hours. So if we transport out to Leamington for 45 minutes, and their average off-load time is 15 minutes, we're now at an hour," says the EMS chief.
Krauter expects the initiative will not only free up space in Windsor Regional Hospital's emergency department, but will make better use of available ambulances.
Ambulance calls are up 25% in Essex County over the last decade, with a 50% jump in low-acuity patients.
Both Windsor regional and Leamington hospitals say travel arrangements will be made with patients that might come from a distance and need assistance getting home.