A former chief of emergency medical services in Calgary says having medical dispatchers back in the same room as police and fire call-takers could help to improve ambulance response times.
Tom Sampson, who also served as deputy fire chief and chief of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency, said he has followed the case of an 86-year-old woman who died after waiting 30 minutes for an ambulance.
The Health Quality Council of Alberta released a report Thursday that found staff and ambulance shortages, as well as communication issues, led to the delay. It said the provincial consolidation of Alberta's medical dispatch system did not slow the response, but noted there's "tension" between the two emergency call centres that are no longer at the same location.
The report said EMS dispatch was short-staffed on the day of Williams' death, 31 of 38 ambulances were staffed and there were no ambulances available. It said a city bylaw officer and a 911 dispatcher also couldn't reach EMS to provide an update on Williams' condition.
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