THUNDER BAY -- Patients waiting for transfers between medical facilities in Thunder Bay, could be waiting a little longer.
Future delays are possible as district paramedics are looking to reduce the number of non-urgent transfers they handle.
Superior North EMS has seen its call volumes increase over the past four years, by 18 per cent -- or about 4,000 calls.
While this has yet to affect paramedic response times, Superior North EMS has notified Thunder Bay city council that it's planning to make changes to its deployment plan next year to better cope with demand.
While details of the plan are scarce right now, EMS Chief Wayne Gates says this ultimately means paramedics will spend less time transferring patients, and more time responding to emergency calls.
There is only one private ambulance service in the region, which does not operate on weekends.
Gates says there are not expected to be any cost considerations associated with the deployment plan change.
A memorandum from Superior North EMS is expected to go before council Monday evening.
(TBT News)
