The move sees the local organization join forces with one of the largest contracted providers of EMS services in Canada, with 4,300 health care professionals in six provinces. They currently also run an ambulance service in Saskatoon.
“I think first and foremost, the public shouldn’t see any impact to the emergency services we provide,” said Moose Jaw EMS chief Kyle Sereda. “The same resources that are on the street today will be there in the coming weeks, so we want to assure the public that nothing will change that way: you pick up the phone and call 911 we’ll still be there.”
What will change is the sheer amount of resources that will be available to Moose Jaw EMS — which will be rechristened MHS West Moose Jaw — combined with a high level of experience at a national level.
Sereda pointed to their current mobile integrated health solutions program, which is essentially a paramedic in the community doing non-emergency-related things, as something that could see an increase in the future.
“They’ll be able to support those programs and bring new programs to Moose Jaw to compliment the emergency side of things,” Sereda said. “A community paramedic has resources where they can connect you to mental health, detox, addictions, home care and public health, all those different parts of health care that can be daunting at times. It’s ‘I need help, but I don’t know where to start’. We hope that will evolve and improve and grow and we’ll be able to do with Medavie’s experience.”
There will also be no change when it comes to staffing. Sereda remains as chief, and Angela Sereda, the current deputy chief, will take over as the manager of mobile integrated health.
“At MHS West, we are committed to providing innovative health solutions that serve to meet the needs of our patients and communities,” says Gerald Schriemer, Chief Operating Officer, Medavie Health Services West. “We look forward to welcoming the team from Moose Jaw & District EMS and Central Butte to our family of companies. As well, working collaboratively with everyone on-the-ground to build on the many successes achieved to date, while evolving and enhancing service deliveries into the future.”
