Bluewater Health and Lambton's Emergency Medical Services have partnered to speed up access to care for individuals seeking residential withdrawal management services.
EMS Manager Steve Pancino said if a patient doesn't require medical care, they can bypass the emergency department now.
"What this does is take out the middleman and allows our paramedics to take the patients directly to where the services, that they are needing, are being provided," said Pancino.
The new process reduces pressure on the ER, decreases ambulance offload delays and allows paramedics to get back into the community sooner.
The hospital opened its temporary withdrawal management facility, with seven beds, on the sixth floor of the Russell Street building in January last year.
Bluewater Health has yet to announce a site for a permanent 24-bed facility and is awaiting word from the province about funding.
Clients wishing to access the Residential Withdrawal Management Centre can call 519-464-4487 to learn more about the services available.
