Offload wait times for EMS officials in Chatham-Kent are slowly increasing.
But local personnel say patient offload wait times are not so significant at this point that they need to change protocol. Acting General Manager at Medavie EMS Chatham-Kent Don MacLellan says it is a potential issue they're aware of.
"That is something that we do monitor as a metrics to make sure that we're not missing something," says MacLellan. "Or that if it is growing that we do have a very great working relationship with the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance and the leadership within the Emergency Room department." Offload delays occur when paramedics must stay with their patients longer than the standard time because no ER beds are available.
MacLellan says the offload wait times in Chatham-Kent are nowhere near the levels in Windsor-Essex or London. Officials in Windsor-Essex recently reported a dramatic increase in offload wait time over the last 2-years that's estimated to have cost them in the range of $1.5-million.
