EDMONTON- The new air ambulance base at the Edmonton International Airport (EIA) officially opened Friday, putting an end to medevac services to the City Centre Airport.
The 3,600-square-metre hangar allows for indoor patient transfers, a dedicated ground ambulance fleet, and a six bed transfer area for stable patients.
Despite the official opening, doctors with the Save Our medevac Service society are disappointed with the decision, worried about the time it will take ambulances to get into the city from EIA.
“Some of the air transfer teams or the aero-medical personnel (are) indicating that it was an hour and 17 minutes to come from the EIA into the Royal Alex, that was this morning,” said Dr. Kerry Pawluski.
Doctors worry those crucial minutes could mean the difference between life and death for some patients.
“We’re all just having to stand by and hope that nobody comes into harm’s way. But our predictions are that it’s not if it’s going to happen, it’s when it’s going to happen,” said Pawluski. “Anybody that’s been involved in this effort is disappointed that our provincial government continues to hold to the belief that no harm will accrue to patients, as a result of this move.”
There was a last ditch effort to stop the move from happening. On Thursday afternoon Alberta MLAs took part in an emergency debate to discuss the transfer of medevac services.
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Despite resistance, members of government defended the move. They say emergency patients can be transferred to hospital by helicopter if need be, and say patients will be treated well, if not better, with this new system.
“The care and service provided to those who are coming in in emergency situations is better than it’s ever been,” said Municipal Affairs Minister Doug Griffiths.
“If these individuals want to make every death in this province a failure of the health system, I’m telling you that that is not a reality,” said Government House Leader David Hancock. “It is urgent that we put the facts on the table, that we reassure Albertans that this transition has been well handled, that we have leading edge health care in this province including medevac services.”
But, Pawluski says the Save Our medevac Service society will not give up and will continue to fight the move anyway it can.
“We will continue to put people who are adversely affected in front of cameras so that they can say what their experience has been.”
With files from Fletcher Kent.
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