Ottawa’s new paramedic dispatch system slashes ER offload delays and reduces level zero events, improving emergency response times citywide since April 2024.
Improved Offload Metrics After Dispatch Upgrade
In April 2024, the Ottawa Paramedic Service launched a medical priority dispatch system, allowing urgent cases to receive immediate crews while deferrable calls are scheduled later. This change has led to a significant drop in ER offload delays, easing pressure on both paramedics and emergency departments across the city.
Dramatic Reduction in ‘Level Zero’ Events
According to the 2024 Ottawa Paramedic Service Report, minutes spent at ‘level zero’—when no ambulances are available—fell from 52,995 in 2023 to 11,373 in 2024, down from 73,060 in 2022. The steep decline underscores how prioritizing critical calls and redirecting non-urgent ones can free up crews more consistently.
Hospital Programs Target Handover Bottlenecks
Ottawa hospitals have implemented multiple mitigation strategies aimed at speeding patient transfers:
- Paramedic Response Unit: Single-paramedic vehicles assess and triage patients on scene.
- Dedicated Offload Nurses: Specialized ER staff receive care handovers directly from paramedics.
- Vertical ‘Fit 2 Sit’ Program: Nearly 4,500 stable patients were moved to waiting rooms, releasing crews sooner.
- Targeted Diversion Clinics: Almost 900 individuals were taken to a specialized clinic instead of the ER.
Faster Emergency Responses Citywide
Paramedic response targets approved by City Council were met in 2024: life‑threatening calls reached within eight minutes, 75% of the time (up from 68% in 2023), and urgent calls arrived within 10 minutes, 76% of the time (up from 68.8%). Sudden cardiac arrest responses also improved, meeting the six‑minute target 70.2% of occasions.
Call Volumes and Staffing Trends
Last year, paramedics handled 121,461 calls—down from 127,107 in 2023—and completed 173,053 responses, compared with 193,127 the previous year. To support faster service, the city hired 14 new full‑time paramedics in 2023 and 28 in 2024, with budgeted funding for 27 additional stations in 2025.
For continuous coverage and real-time updates, keep following Maple News Wire.
