Medavie Health Services (MHS) West has been selected by Alberta Health Services (AHS) to provide low acuity non-urgent patient transfers that will serve Calgary and surrounding communities to further relieve system pressure and strengthen capacity to meet health care needs in Alberta.

The new service, to be delivered by MHS West, will now provide non-urgent transfers and basic life support ensuring timely care in the right place, at the right time.

Every year, AHS works with local health care teams to deliver approximately 44,000 transports in the Calgary and Edmonton areas, of these, approximately 20,000 are scheduled, non-urgent, low acuity transfers in Calgary and area that will now be part of the new service.

“Our team at MHS West prides itself on delivering a high standard of quality care and best serving the needs of the people in our communities,” says Gerry Schriemer Chief Operating Officer & Regional Director for MHS West. “With a mission to improve the wellbeing of Canadians, we look forward to working in collaboration with AHS to build on our well-established programs and services, while delivering innovative models of health care.”

“We look forward to working with MHS West to provide scheduled, low acuity interfacility transfer services that will enable AHS to focus on emergency responses in Edmonton and Calgary and help keep ambulances in rural communities,” says Murray Crawford, Interim Chief Program Officer with AHS EMS.

MHS West will work closely with AHS to begin implementation planning for these new services. There will be no interruption of service as the transition takes place and patients requiring paramedic support services should continue to call 911.