How Good Reforms Fail: The Warning Example of Alberta's Borderless EMS System.

Abstract

When ill, many Albertans' first interaction with their healthcare system is Alberta's centralized emergency medical services (EMS) system operated by Alberta Health Services (AHS). The media has become saturated with articles articulating concerns about lagging response time, limited ambulance availability and poor work conditions. As Alberta undergoes restructuring of the EMS system by Alberta Health and AHS, there are lessons to be learned from prior EMS restructuring. It is crucial that front-line paramedics are heard and their concerns addressed regarding implemented policies. Several policy recommendations focus on optimizing operations and improving the working environment for paramedics in the long term.