Award of Merit Collaborative Solutions
Regional Strategy for Reducing Ambulance Turnaround Times Hospital Emergency Departments
BC Emergency Health Services, Provincial Health Services Authority, Fraser Health
Fraser Health serves the largest population in the province, making efficient use of time and resources critical. Working with BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS), a standardized system was created for emergency department staff and ambulance paramedics to work more collaboratively and apply improvements in managing patient offloading and triage to waiting room turnover.
By building collaborative exit strategies, ambulance turnaround times were reduced by more than 50 per cent, and BCEHS became the first ambulance service in Canada to achieve an average 30 minute turnaround at hospitals.
For developing frontline leadership, enhancing the patient care experience and increasing capacity to provide quicker access to emergency services, we present an Award of Merit to BC Emergency Health Services and Fraser Health.
Project Team: Wendy Machana, Sheila Finamore