Jan Jensen, lecturer with the School of Health Administration and the Division of EMS (Department of Emergency Medicine) and Research Leader for Emergency Health Services, was the lead researcher on two studies on the Extended Care Paramedic Program.  The first, a three month pilot study, examined dispatch determinants and transport outcomes of emergency calls at Halifax nursing homes, attended to by Extended Care Paramedics or standard emergency paramedics.  In that small study, an absolute risk reduction of transport to the emergency department of 48.7% was found when patients saw the ECPs.  That study was presented in January 2012 at the National Association of EMS Physicians conference in Tuscon Arizona.

The second study was a qualitative study which explored the implementation and operation of such a novel paramedic long-term care program.  Front line emergency paramedics, emergency medical dispatchers, managers, physicians and extended care paramedics were interviewed in a series of focus groups.  This study, along with the pilot study, have been accepted for presentation at the upcoming Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians conference in June 2012 in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

These studies were funded by the Dalhousie University Network for End of Life Studies (CIHR) and Emergency Health Services Operation Management.  A larger study has been planned in collaboration with Dr. Emily Marshall, which will examine the effect of the Extended Care Paramedic program on outcomes such as clinical care, safety and system impact.  Please contact Jan with any questions about these research studies: jljensen@emci.ca