The Ministry of Health has released the newest iteration of the Advanced Life Support Patient Care Standards (ALS PCS), version 5.2. This updated version of the Standards comes into force on Monday, July 10, 2023.

Immediate practice-related changes are limited and include updates to 2 core medical directives (Opioid Toxicity and Withdrawal Medical Directive and Nausea/Vomiting Medical Directive). Paramedics will find changes to auxiliary medical directives within the Chemical Exposure directives and the Special Event directives.

A new clinical app is on its way! Here are the details:

The Ontario Base Hospital Group is pleased to inform you that a new clinical app for Ontario paramedics is coming!

All new app, all new name

In anticipation of creating a new app, we distributed a survey this spring about the naming of a new app. Thank you for completing our survey. We received lots of great suggestions for the new clinical app!

Spring 2022 CME features live events and online content

Spring 2022 CME is a two-part offering again this year, with both virtual workshops for live participation or recorded viewing and online learning modules. 

Two optional live virtual workshops are coming to Spring 2022 CME's core learning for RPPEO-certified ACPs! PCPs are also invited to participate in the live or recorded CME events.

The Regional Paramedic Program for Eastern Ontario is pleased to launch Spring 2023 CME's online learning component on Monday, March 27, 2023.

In Spring 2023 CME, RPPEO presents "Discharge from Care," provincially developed training about out of hospital treat and discharge. This is the training that paramedics require to receive authorization to apply the new auxiliary medical directive options in the Advanced Life Support Patient Care Standards (ALS PCS) version 5.1 for patient discharge planning.

The BLS Patient Care Standards are the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care expectations with respect to how paramedics will interact with their patients.

Go to Medical Directives

A new RPPEO Clinical Bulletin on Opioid Use Disorder, Buprenorphine/naloxone, and Naloxone is now available.

This Clinical Bulletin provides paramedic practice guidance from the Regional Medical Director on the appropriate administration of naloxone in the context of opioid toxicity, and differentiates naloxone from the new combined medication for opioid withdrawal in the prehospital context, buprenorphine/naloxone.

Paramedics are invited to consult Health Canada's posted version of the Canadian monograph for buprenorphine/naloxone (trade name "Suboxone") for more detailed information of this new drug's pharmacology, indications, contraindications, and risk management.

We invite paramedics who have questions or concerns about this Clinical Bulletin, naloxone, buprenorphine/naloxone, Opioid Use Disorder, or opioids more generally to contact quality@RPPEO.ca.

Note that RPPEO has not yet authorized any paramedic use of the auxiliary aspects of the Opioid Toxicity and Withdrawal Medical Directive in the ALS PCS. While buprenorphine/naloxone is not yet available for paramedic administration within the RPPEO jurisdiction, we are planning the infrastructure and training needed to support implementation of this important treatment.

Each paramedic may find their current practice authorizations in the most recent RPPEO Certification Letter available within the 'My Profile' section on MedicNET. When RPPEO issues a new Certification Letter, it is also provided to the paramedic via email.

This is the first RPPEO Clinical Bulletin. The format is intended to provide clinical discussion about issues affecting paramedic practice. RPPEO Clinical Bulletins communicate the best front-line strategies for emerging clinical issues in the region using rich formats with text, images, charts or other visual supports. In contrast to Medical Advisories, Clinical Bulletins do not provide new direction; rather, they clarify concepts and inform paramedics and other partners about clinical practice.

RPPEO Clinical Bulletins are available at RPPEO.ca in the RPPEO Policies section. 

RPPEO paramedics are invited to attend an online discussion about the landmark "DOSE VF" study on October 6, 2023 at 10am. Dr. Sheldon Cheskes, principal investigator and lead author of the paper, Defibrillation Strategies for Refractory Ventricular Fibrillation published last year in the New England Journal of Medicine, will present and host a discussion. 

This live webinar is presented as part of RPPEO Fall 2023 CME. Paramedics who attend the live event will receive credit toward Fall CME requirements. This year, ACPS are required to complete Fall CME. PCPs are welcome to attend this event and any who are planning to complete Fall CME will receive credit. 

Registration details are forthcoming.

The Regional Paramedic Program for Eastern Ontario is pleased to announce the Ottawa Hospital’s appointment of Dr. Michael Austin, MD, FRCPC, DRCPSC (PTM) to the position of Regional Base Hospital Medical Director effective July 1, 2023.

Please join me in congratulating Kerry Morris and Gregor Moffat for receiving the prestigious EMS Medal for Exemplary Service. We are extremely proud of Greg and Kerry for dedicating their lives to helping others, and for the great work they do in developing other paramedics to do the same thing. Personally, I am really thankful they have chosen to work with the RPPEO here at TOH.
-Penny Price, Program Director for RPPEO