Identifying Long-Term Solutions for Offloading Delays

Offloading delays occur when patients cannot be transferred from EMS care to hospital care in a timely manner, preventing EMS from returning an ambulance crew to respond to incoming 911 calls.

Between 2021 and 2022 Niagara experienced a 54.76 per cent increase in offload delays, and in the latter half of 2022, a total of $1.7 million of Regional Levy was expended to address the record number of EMS calls.

Niagara is asking for:

Reimbursement of the $1.7 million of funding for Emergency Medical Services
Introduction of an additional Family Health Team in Niagara

Let's continue to work together to build a resilient and reliable health care system for generations to come.

Let's grow better, together.

Niagara Week

During Niagara Week 2023, members of Regional Council met with the Minister of Long-Term Care to discuss innovative ways our governments can work together to reduce offload delays in Niagara.

The Minister expressed interested in learning more about offload delay challenges experienced across the region, and Council looks forward to continuing these conversations in the coming months.

Through the 2023 Provincial Budget, Niagara Region received:

$7.5 million to support our Central Ambulance Communication Centre 2022-23 operating cost
Funding for three ambulance communication officers

These additional resources provide us with greater capacity to address our current populations growing demand for emergency services.

During the 2023 Assocation of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference, the Minister of Health announced that the Provincial government is increasing funding for public health agencies and emergency medical services. This includes a $1.03 million increase in funding for Niagara's Dedicated Offload Nursing Program.

Highlights

Ongoing offloading challenges

Three of Niagara's hospitals consistently rank in the bottom quartile for offload delays. In 2022, EMS incurred 33,908 offload delay hours, equivalent to 24 paramedics for 365 days.

Niagara is uniquely situated on a peninsula, preventing us from using neighbouring EMS resources to respond to critical calls.

What we are doing

Niagara continues to work on implementing innovative programs to ease areas of high demand, including our Mobile Integrated Health Model of Care and Emergency Communications Nurse Program.

While these programs deliver high quality care to our community, offload delays continue to outpace other regions.

Niagara's health care context

There are many complex challenges facing Niagara's health care system. This includes programming resources and changing community health needs, such as an aging population and increasing mental illness and addictions.

However, we remain committed to finding long-term solutions together.

Working together

We know the health of community members is of the highest priority to all levels of government.

Providing financial resources and an additional Family Health Team will help sustain current programs and address underlying issues affecting demand on EMS.

More priorities and information

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