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Fri Nov 26 18:15:08 GMT 2004

http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=29a9b282-70fc-4ed4-8af1-25ec8daea49c

Health minister skeptical of paramedic study

November 26, 2004

QUEBEC -- Health Minister Philippe Couillard has reservations about
an Ontario study that praises the merits of paramedic-trained
ambulance technicians. According to the study, 260 lives were saved
on a population of two million, by ambulance technicians who were
able to perform certain procedures usually reserved for doctors. 

In Quebec, 18 ambulance technicians recently received training to
become paramedics, but the provincial Health Department won't let
them practise until it decides whether they are better than ambulance
technicians at delivering emergency care prior to hospitalization.

The Quebec government didn't authorize the training and is
investigating Urgences Sante for spending the money to have the
technicians upgraded. The paramedics' certificates are recognized
everywhere in Canada, except Quebec. Under current rules, paramedics
in Quebec cannot work without a doctor's supervision. 

Questioned on this subject Friday in the National Assembly, Couillard
said that the study also contains certain limitations. For example,
the paramedic-trained ambulance technicians did not offer any real
benefit for patients suffering cardiac arrest, and may have actually
put patients with certain types of trauma at risk. 

Couillard said that the health ministry's agency that looks after
technology and intervention methods is currently studying the
research available on the subject. According to Couillard, Quebec
will be able to make a decision after the agency makes its
recommendations next February.

© NTR with files from the Gazette 2004

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