Operational Research In Health (ORH) has reviewed how Muskoka Paramedic Services (MPS) could better service the west side of the region.
According to Hannah Mayes-Frenett, a senior consultant with ORH, there are parts of the southern area of Georgian Bay that neither MPS nor neighbouring paramedic services, notably Simcoe County Paramedic Services, can get to within 14 minutes.
She presented to the District of Muskoka’s Health Services committee seven options to mull over for the west side, which currently has stations in MacTier and Port Carling.
The first option is one the district is already moving forward with. The resources at MPS’ station in Port Carling will be moved to a soon-to-be-created station at the Glen Orchard public works site. The lease at Port Carling station is set to expire in February 2023. The station in MacTier would continue to be operational.
The second option could see the transport ambulance stationed in MacTier split into two paramedic response units. One would be located in MacTier, while the other would be considered a roaming unit that serves White’s Falls. A new station would not be created to accommodate this. According to Mayes-Frenett’s presentation, this option would improve response time by 42.6-percent, but transport performance would decline by 3.5-percent
She explained that they judge response time by how quickly any paramedic arrives at the scene. However, transport time is measured by how quickly a transport-capable ambulance arrives.
The third option could improve response time by 21.9-percent and transport performance by 23.7-percent. It would involve moving the ambulance in MacTier to a new station in White’s Falls while continuing with the station in Glen Orchard.
A paramedic response unit being added in White’s Falls was the fourth option. Mayes-Frenett equated that to adding 84 staff hours. The ambulances would be kept in MacTier and Glen Orchard. This would see a 41-percent increase in response time with a 1.9-percent positive impact on transport performance.
The fifth option would see an additional paramedic response unit could be added in MacTier, while that station’s ambulance would be moved to a new station in White’s Falls. An additional 84 staff hours would be needed for this idea to work. It would improve response time by 27.8-percent and transport performance by 29.6-percent.
The sixth option is the only option that involved adding response units in Wahta Mohawk Territory is the sixth option. It would see units stationed in White’s Falls as well. The existing ambulance service in MacTier and Glen Orchard would stay put and staff hours would be increased by 168.
It would improve performance by 46.6-percent and give full coverage to Georgian Bay. However, Mayes-Frenett said there would be “diminishing returns” over time. Transport performance would get better by 29.6-percent.
The last option would see the station in Glen Orchard kept, but the ambulance currently in MacTier would be moved to White’s Falls. It would allow for 24/7 coverage but would require an additional 168 staff hours. Response time would be increased by 39.9-percent with transport time seeing a 33.7-percent increase.
Jeff McWilliam, the district’s Chief of Paramedic Services and Emergency Services, explained that they have been working with ORH, which is based in the United Kingdom, since 2016 on MPS’ 10-year plan. It included short, medium, and long-term recommendations. McWilliam said they are currently in the medium-term phase.
He added that the cost of implementing ORH’s ideas has not been reviewed yet. The idea of the presentation was to gauge committee’s feeling on the seven options and then report back in June with more refined options, which would include costing.
Mayes-Frenett said that a report on paramedic response for the east side of Muskoka will be presented at a future committee meeting.