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Batt AM, Lysko M, Bolster JL, Poirier P, Cassista D, Austin M, Cameron C, Donnelly EA, Donelon B, Dunn N, Johnston W, Lanos C, Lunn TM, Mason P, Teed S, Vacon C, Tavares W. Identifying Features of a System of Practice to Inform a Contemporary Competency Framework for Paramedics in Canada. Healthcare (Basel) 2024; 12:946. [PMID: 38727503 PMCID: PMC11083595 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12090946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 04/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Paramedic practice is highly variable, occurs in diverse contexts, and involves the assessment and management of a range of presentations of varying acuity across the lifespan. As a result, attempts to define paramedic practice have been challenging and incomplete. This has led to inaccurate or under-representations of practice that can ultimately affect education, assessment, and the delivery of care. In this study, we outline our efforts to better identify, explore, and represent professional practice when developing a national competency framework for paramedics in Canada. METHODS We used a systems-thinking approach to identify the settings, contexts, features, and influences on paramedic practice in Canada. This approach makes use of the role and influence of system features at the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, supra-macrosystem, and chronosystem levels in ways that can provide new insights. We used methods such as rich pictures, diagramming, and systems mapping to explore relationships between these contexts and features. FINDINGS When we examine the system of practice in paramedicine, multiple layers become evident and within them we start to see details of features that ought to be considered in any future competency development work. Our exploration of the system highlights that paramedic practice considers the person receiving care, caregivers, and paramedics. It involves collaboration within co-located and dispersed teams that are composed of other health and social care professionals, public safety personnel, and others. Practice is enacted across varying geographical, cultural, social, and technical contexts and is subject to multiple levels of policy, regulatory, and legislative influence. CONCLUSION Using a systems-thinking approach, we developed a detailed systems map of paramedic practice in Canada. This map can be used to inform the initial stages of a more representative, comprehensive, and contemporary national competency framework for paramedics in Canada.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan M. Batt
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen’s University, 99 University Avenue, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
- Department of Paramedicine, Monash University, Building H, Peninsula Campus, 47–49 Moorooduc Hwy, Frankston, VIC 3199, Australia; (J.L.B.); or (C.C.); (C.L.); (T.M.L.)
| | - Meghan Lysko
- Oxford County Paramedic Services, 377 Mill Street, Woodstock, ON N4S 7V6, Canada;
| | - Jennifer L. Bolster
- Department of Paramedicine, Monash University, Building H, Peninsula Campus, 47–49 Moorooduc Hwy, Frankston, VIC 3199, Australia; (J.L.B.); or (C.C.); (C.L.); (T.M.L.)
- BC Emergency Health Services, Clinical Governance and Professional Practice, 2955 Virtual Way, Vancouver, BC V5M 4X3, Canada
| | - Pierre Poirier
- Paramedic Association of Canada, 201-4 Florence Street., Ottawa, ON K2P 0W7, Canada; (P.P.); (D.C.)
- Ottawa Paramedic Service, 2465 Don Reid Drive, Ottawa, ON K1H 1E2, Canada; (W.J.)
| | - Derek Cassista
- Paramedic Association of Canada, 201-4 Florence Street., Ottawa, ON K2P 0W7, Canada; (P.P.); (D.C.)
| | - Michael Austin
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital, University of Ottawa, 2475 Don Reid Drive, Ottawa, ON K1H 1E2, Canada;
| | - Cheryl Cameron
- Department of Paramedicine, Monash University, Building H, Peninsula Campus, 47–49 Moorooduc Hwy, Frankston, VIC 3199, Australia; (J.L.B.); or (C.C.); (C.L.); (T.M.L.)
- Canadian Virtual Hospice, One Morley Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3L 2P4, Canada
| | - Elizabeth A. Donnelly
- School of Social Work, University of Windsor, 167 Ferry Street, Windsor, Ontario, ON N9A 0C5, Canada;
| | - Becky Donelon
- Health Sciences Division, Justice Institute of British Columbia, 715 McBride Boulevard, New Westminster, BC V3L 5T4, Canada;
| | - Noël Dunn
- Saskatchewan Health Authority, 1350 Albert Street, Regina, SK S4R 2R7, Canada;
| | - William Johnston
- Ottawa Paramedic Service, 2465 Don Reid Drive, Ottawa, ON K1H 1E2, Canada; (W.J.)
| | - Chelsea Lanos
- Department of Paramedicine, Monash University, Building H, Peninsula Campus, 47–49 Moorooduc Hwy, Frankston, VIC 3199, Australia; (J.L.B.); or (C.C.); (C.L.); (T.M.L.)
| | - Tyne M. Lunn
- Department of Paramedicine, Monash University, Building H, Peninsula Campus, 47–49 Moorooduc Hwy, Frankston, VIC 3199, Australia; (J.L.B.); or (C.C.); (C.L.); (T.M.L.)
| | - Paige Mason
- Ottawa Paramedic Service, 2465 Don Reid Drive, Ottawa, ON K1H 1E2, Canada; (W.J.)
- School of Interdisciplinary Studies, Royal Roads University, 2005 Sooke Road, Victoria, BC V9B 5Y2, Canada
| | - Sean Teed
- School of Paramedicine, Medavie HealthEd, 50 Eileen Stubbs Avenue, Unit 154, Dartmouth, NS B3B 0M7, Canada;
| | - Charlene Vacon
- Regional Paramedic Program for Eastern Ontario, The Ottawa Hospital, 2475 Don Reid Drive, Ottawa, ON K1H 1E2, Canada;
| | - Walter Tavares
- Department of Health and Society & Wilson Centre for Health Professions Education Research, University of Toronto, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C1A4, Canada;
- York Region Paramedic Services, 80 Bales Drive East, East Gwillimbury, ON L0G 1V, Canada
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Quatman-Yates CC, Wisner D, Weade M, Gabriel M, Wiseman JM, Sheridan E, Garvin JH, Bridges JFP, Santry HP, Panchal AR, Fernandez S, Quatman CE. Assessment of Fall-Related Emergency Medical Service Calls and Transports after a Community-Level Fall-Prevention Initiative. PREHOSP EMERG CARE 2021; 26:410-421. [PMID: 33909512 PMCID: PMC8626520 DOI: 10.1080/10903127.2021.1922556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Background: Getting effective fall prevention into the homes of medically and physically vulnerable individuals is a critical public health challenge. Community paramedicine is emerging globally as a new model of care that allows emergency medical service units to evaluate and treat patients in non-emergency contexts for prevention efforts and chronic care management. The promise of community paramedicine as a delivery system for fall prevention that scales to community-level improvements in outcomes is compelling but untested.Objective: To study the impact of a community paramedic program's optimization of a fall prevention system entailing a clinical pathway and learning health system (called Community-FIT) on community-level fall-related emergency medical service utilization rates.Methods: We used an implementation science framework and quality improvement methods to design and optimize a fall prevention model of care that can be embedded within community paramedic operations. The model was implemented and optimized in an emergency medical service agency servicing a Midwestern city in the United States (∼35,000 residents). Primary outcome measures included relative risk reduction in the number of community-level fall-related 9-1-1 calls and fall-related hospital transports. Interrupted time series analysis was used to evaluate relative risk reduction from a 12-month baseline period (September 2016 - August 2017) to a 12-month post-implementation period (September 2018-August 2019).Results: Community paramedic home visits increased from 25 in 2017, to 236 in 2018, to 517 in 2019, indicating a large increase in the number of households that benefited from the efforts. A relative risk reduction of 0.66 (95% [CI] 0.53, 0.76) in the number of fall calls and 0.63 (95% [CI] 0.46, 0.75) in the number of fall-related calls resulting in transports to the hospital were observed.Conclusions: Community-FIT may offer a powerful mechanism for community paramedics to reduce fall-related 9-1-1 calls and transports to hospitals that can be implemented in emergency medical agencies across the country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine C Quatman-Yates
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Chronic Brain Injury Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Sports Medicine Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Upper Arlington Fire Division, Upper Arlington, Ohio (DW, MW); Westerville Division of Fire, Westerville, Ohio (MG); Department of Orthopaedics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JMW, ES, CEQ); Health Information Management and Systems, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JHG); Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JHG, JFPB, SF); Center for Surgical Health Assessment, Research, and Policy (SHARP), The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio (JFPB, HPS, CEQ); Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (HPS); Department of Emergency Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (ARP); Center for EMS, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (ARP)
| | - David Wisner
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Chronic Brain Injury Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Sports Medicine Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Upper Arlington Fire Division, Upper Arlington, Ohio (DW, MW); Westerville Division of Fire, Westerville, Ohio (MG); Department of Orthopaedics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JMW, ES, CEQ); Health Information Management and Systems, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JHG); Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JHG, JFPB, SF); Center for Surgical Health Assessment, Research, and Policy (SHARP), The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio (JFPB, HPS, CEQ); Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (HPS); Department of Emergency Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (ARP); Center for EMS, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (ARP)
| | - Mark Weade
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Chronic Brain Injury Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Sports Medicine Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Upper Arlington Fire Division, Upper Arlington, Ohio (DW, MW); Westerville Division of Fire, Westerville, Ohio (MG); Department of Orthopaedics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JMW, ES, CEQ); Health Information Management and Systems, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JHG); Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JHG, JFPB, SF); Center for Surgical Health Assessment, Research, and Policy (SHARP), The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio (JFPB, HPS, CEQ); Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (HPS); Department of Emergency Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (ARP); Center for EMS, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (ARP)
| | - Mindy Gabriel
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Chronic Brain Injury Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Sports Medicine Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Upper Arlington Fire Division, Upper Arlington, Ohio (DW, MW); Westerville Division of Fire, Westerville, Ohio (MG); Department of Orthopaedics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JMW, ES, CEQ); Health Information Management and Systems, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JHG); Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JHG, JFPB, SF); Center for Surgical Health Assessment, Research, and Policy (SHARP), The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio (JFPB, HPS, CEQ); Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (HPS); Department of Emergency Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (ARP); Center for EMS, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (ARP)
| | - Jessica M Wiseman
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Chronic Brain Injury Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Sports Medicine Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Upper Arlington Fire Division, Upper Arlington, Ohio (DW, MW); Westerville Division of Fire, Westerville, Ohio (MG); Department of Orthopaedics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JMW, ES, CEQ); Health Information Management and Systems, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JHG); Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JHG, JFPB, SF); Center for Surgical Health Assessment, Research, and Policy (SHARP), The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio (JFPB, HPS, CEQ); Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (HPS); Department of Emergency Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (ARP); Center for EMS, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (ARP)
| | - Elizabeth Sheridan
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Chronic Brain Injury Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Sports Medicine Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Upper Arlington Fire Division, Upper Arlington, Ohio (DW, MW); Westerville Division of Fire, Westerville, Ohio (MG); Department of Orthopaedics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JMW, ES, CEQ); Health Information Management and Systems, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JHG); Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JHG, JFPB, SF); Center for Surgical Health Assessment, Research, and Policy (SHARP), The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio (JFPB, HPS, CEQ); Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (HPS); Department of Emergency Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (ARP); Center for EMS, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (ARP)
| | - Jennifer H Garvin
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Chronic Brain Injury Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Sports Medicine Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Upper Arlington Fire Division, Upper Arlington, Ohio (DW, MW); Westerville Division of Fire, Westerville, Ohio (MG); Department of Orthopaedics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JMW, ES, CEQ); Health Information Management and Systems, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JHG); Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JHG, JFPB, SF); Center for Surgical Health Assessment, Research, and Policy (SHARP), The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio (JFPB, HPS, CEQ); Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (HPS); Department of Emergency Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (ARP); Center for EMS, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (ARP)
| | - John F P Bridges
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Chronic Brain Injury Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Sports Medicine Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Upper Arlington Fire Division, Upper Arlington, Ohio (DW, MW); Westerville Division of Fire, Westerville, Ohio (MG); Department of Orthopaedics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JMW, ES, CEQ); Health Information Management and Systems, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JHG); Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JHG, JFPB, SF); Center for Surgical Health Assessment, Research, and Policy (SHARP), The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio (JFPB, HPS, CEQ); Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (HPS); Department of Emergency Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (ARP); Center for EMS, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (ARP)
| | - Heena P Santry
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Chronic Brain Injury Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Sports Medicine Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Upper Arlington Fire Division, Upper Arlington, Ohio (DW, MW); Westerville Division of Fire, Westerville, Ohio (MG); Department of Orthopaedics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JMW, ES, CEQ); Health Information Management and Systems, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JHG); Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JHG, JFPB, SF); Center for Surgical Health Assessment, Research, and Policy (SHARP), The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio (JFPB, HPS, CEQ); Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (HPS); Department of Emergency Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (ARP); Center for EMS, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (ARP)
| | - Ashish R Panchal
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Chronic Brain Injury Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Sports Medicine Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Upper Arlington Fire Division, Upper Arlington, Ohio (DW, MW); Westerville Division of Fire, Westerville, Ohio (MG); Department of Orthopaedics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JMW, ES, CEQ); Health Information Management and Systems, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JHG); Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JHG, JFPB, SF); Center for Surgical Health Assessment, Research, and Policy (SHARP), The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio (JFPB, HPS, CEQ); Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (HPS); Department of Emergency Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (ARP); Center for EMS, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (ARP)
| | - Soledad Fernandez
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Chronic Brain Injury Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Sports Medicine Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Upper Arlington Fire Division, Upper Arlington, Ohio (DW, MW); Westerville Division of Fire, Westerville, Ohio (MG); Department of Orthopaedics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JMW, ES, CEQ); Health Information Management and Systems, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JHG); Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JHG, JFPB, SF); Center for Surgical Health Assessment, Research, and Policy (SHARP), The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio (JFPB, HPS, CEQ); Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (HPS); Department of Emergency Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (ARP); Center for EMS, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (ARP)
| | - Carmen E Quatman
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Chronic Brain Injury Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Sports Medicine Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (CCQ-Y); Upper Arlington Fire Division, Upper Arlington, Ohio (DW, MW); Westerville Division of Fire, Westerville, Ohio (MG); Department of Orthopaedics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JMW, ES, CEQ); Health Information Management and Systems, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JHG); Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (JHG, JFPB, SF); Center for Surgical Health Assessment, Research, and Policy (SHARP), The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio (JFPB, HPS, CEQ); Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (HPS); Department of Emergency Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (ARP); Center for EMS, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (ARP)
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