N.S. community paramedic program benefiting patient care

Three years after launching, a community-based paramedic program in Nova Scotia has changed the way some patients receive care.

"There are several other aspects to a job as a paramedic. People do make that their main focus, but there are a lot of side things you can get involved with," said paramedic Rick Deveaux.

Deveaux’s working career began as an engineer for 20 years, in the coal mines of Cape Breton.

But a desire to lend a helping hand led him to volunteer fire fighting and eventually, paramedicine.

Paramedic Services Week is from May 22 to 28. The goal is to highlight some of the different ways paramedics do to treat residents while also helping reduce strain on the overall healthcare system.

One of those programs is the community-based paramedic program, which launched in 2018, allowing paramedics to perform in-home services and keeping patients out of the hospital.

"It does a very good job at doing that. We work with the ER section of the hospital and all of the chronic care aspects of the hospital as well," said Deveaux.

Deveaux sees this model as the future of paramedicine, as healthcare providers look for new and innovative ways to meet people’s needs.

"You get knowledge that you've played a part in somebody's life that's made it better. When I’m on the truck as an advanced care paramedic it's the same thing, we get to do all of kinds of things that make a difference in a person’s life." he said.