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Community Paramedic Programs

Community Paramedic Programs

About Community Paramedicine

Community Paramedicine is the practice of paramedics providing health and community services to those who need them. This non-emergency care helps to reduce unnecessary visits to hospitals and emergency departments.

Community paramedics work collaboratively with health care professionals and community agencies to coordinate care and connect individuals to appropriate supports. These connections help people participate in their care, maintain independence, and stay connected to their communities.

Community Paramedicine goals include:

  • improve quality of life and well-being
  • help patients stay healthier and reduce the need for emergency 911 services
  • reduce emergency department visits and hospital admissions
  • collaborate with patients' family doctors, reducing the need for clinic visits
  • help patients access resources and navigate the healthcare system
  • provide equitable access to immunizations for high-priority patient groups

Halton's CP@Clinic

Community paramedics hold weekly, biweekly, or monthly clinics in select seniors' supportive housing buildings and community centres. They offer blood pressure monitoring, health coaching, risk assessments, and referrals to community resources. These supports help seniors prevent and manage chronic disease while mitigating health risks.

CP@Clinic goals

  • Empower older adults to be proactive in prevention and management of hypertension, diabetes and other cardiovascular risk factors.
  • Develop the role of paramedics in community health promotion initiatives.
  • Increase awareness of cardiovascular health, diabetes risk, falls risk and community resources available.
  • Encourage and support healthy lifestyle behaviours.
  • Provide accurate blood pressure readings, diabetes risk score and cardiovascular risk information to family physicians and encourage dialogue with them.

Partners

  • McMaster University
  • Halton Region Paramedic Services
  • Halton Community Housing Corporation
  • Ontario Health
  • Oakville Seniors

Outcomes

CP@Clinic is currently offered to residents living in and around select subsidized seniors' buildings in Halton Region, with expansion to additional sites underway. After more than one year of being delivered in an urban seniors' building, the CP@Clinic program was effective in:

  • decreasing mean blood pressure
  • changing lifestyle factors and diabetes risk
  • decreasing 911 calls
  • cost savings in healthcare
  • long-term health changes
  • decreasing social isolation

Remote Care Monitoring Program

The Remote Care Monitoring Program is delivered in partnership with Burlington Family Health Team and Burlington Ontario Health Team. It provides residents of Burlington who have Congestive Heart Failure and/or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with Bluetooth-enabled devices such as blood pressure cuffs, SpO₂ monitors, weigh scales, and a tablet.

Each day, clients input their vital signs, which are then reviewed by a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals. If the vital signs are outside the prescribed range, the client will receive a phone call and/or in-home visit. The goal of this care is to stabilize them in their home to avoid hospitalization.

Eligibility

To be eligible for remote care monitoring, you must:

  • live in the city of Burlington
  • have a diagnosis of non-acute chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and/or congestive heart failure

Learn more about the Remote Care Monitoring Program

To learn more, self-refer, or submit a referral from a physician, please visit the Burlington Family Health Team's website (external link).

Community Paramedicine for Long-Term Care

Community Paramedicine for Long-Term Care is a proactive, 24/7 program supporting Halton older adults awaiting long-term care placement. Through this program, community paramedics work collaboratively with clients and their caregivers to develop and implement individual care plans. These plans focus on chronic disease education, self-management strategies, and connection to healthcare and community resources.

Clients receive scheduled phone and in-home visits based on their clinical needs. Clients also have access to the community paramedic team 24/7 for non-emergency health concerns, questions, and support between scheduled visits.

Community paramedics provide a comprehensive range of services, such as:

  • health promotion and preventative care strategies
  • vital sign monitoring and ongoing health surveillance
  • comprehensive physical assessments
  • point-of-care testing
  • medication and symptom monitoring
  • in-home injections prescribed by primary care
  • seasonal immunizations
  • referrals and coordination with healthcare, community, and social service providers

When community paramedics identify a medical concern, the program provides routine clinical communication and reporting to primary care providers and other healthcare partners. This helps to ensure continuity of care, timely intervention, and appropriate follow-up.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the program, you must be:

  • on the waitlist for long-term care placement
  • assessed as eligible for long-term care by a Home Community Care Support Service care coordinator
  • soon to be eligible for long-term care (identified as needing or waiting for long-term care assessment)

Learn more about Community Paramedicine for Long-Term Care

For more information about the Community Paramedicine for Long-Term Care program, please call 905-825-6000 , ext. 7892.

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