By Cassie MacDonell
Local Journalism Initiative
On Tuesday, Minister of Health Christian Dubé announced Quebec will launch paramedicine pilot projects throughout the province, which will allow paramedics more flexibility before transporting patients to a hospital.
“The actions we are taking today will allow us to broaden the field of practice of paramedic ambulance technicians by giving them more autonomy, while respecting their skills and interdisciplinarity with other health workers,” said Dubé. The new pilot projects will allow paramedics to perform certain measures at the home of the patient, rather than systematically transporting them to the emergency room. The Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS) will authorize paramedics to perform actions such as checking vital signs, assessing psychological states, assessing needs, and monitoring medications—all at the home of the patient.
Ideally, Dubé added, the patient would not have to be transported to the hospital if they do not require emergency care. “If we succeed in this transformation, that will mean the paramedics will not necessarily bring people to the emergency room,” he said. The announcement comes as Quebec faces a labour shortage.
Subscribe to The Record for the full story and more
