Emergency Health Services

Prior to 1995, Nova Scotia relied on approximately 50 funeral home, private and public ambulance companies, the owners of which were represented by the Ambulance Operators Association of Nova Scotia (AOANS). The level of medical care, staff qualifications, type and condition of ambulances and supplies, and working conditions varied throughout the province. Most medical air transportation was provided by the Canadian Forces' 413 Transport and Rescue Squadron operating out of CFB Summerside (1968-1990) and CFB Greenwood (1990-present). 413 Squadron used search and rescue aircraft such as the CH-113 Labrador helicopter as well as the CC-115 Buffalo and later the CC-130 Hercules fixed-wing aircraft to deliver aid to the civil power missions.

In 1993, Cape Breton Island native Dr. Ron Stewart, who was instrumental in organizing emergency medical services in southern California earlier in his career during the 1970s, was elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly and was appointed Minister of Health. Dr. Stewart quickly commissioned several reports on health care reform, one of which was conducted by Dr Mike Murphy, the director of emergency services at the Isaac Walton Killam Children's Hospital and the Victoria General Hospital Emergency Department which offered a comprehensive evaluation on the state of the province's ambulance services. Dr Murphy's report was highly critical of the ambulance system at that time.

The recommendations of the Murphy Report were subsequently adopted and by 1994 the transformation of Nova Scotia's ambulance system began. The Nova Scotia Department of Health created Emergency Health Services to take over control of ground ambulance operations.

From 1994 until 1999, the previous contract for ground ambulance service in Nova Scotia with the Ambulance Operators Association of Nova Scotia (AOANS) was gradually taken over by Emergency Health Services, consolidating all the private ambulance companies in Nova Scotia into a single entity. A new contract was then awarded, under a long-term performance based contract, to Emergency Medical Care Inc. (EMC). EMC is a subsidiary of Medavie Health Services, which is part of Medavie, a health services company that includes Medavie Blue Cross.

April 2004 marked the last EHS takeover of a local ambulance service, when West Pubnico Ambulance and Funeral Services ceased operation. EHS opened a new base in the community and hired additional paramedics.

In October 2004, new emergency health legislation was introduced. The Emergency Health Services (EHS) Act outlines the requirement for ambulance service providers to meet standards of patient care, performance and competency.

In January 2008, Nova Scotia became the first province in Canada to offer all of its residents the benefits of electronic patient records throughout the ambulance system.

Communications & Dispatch Services

EMC operates a central communications dispatch centre in Burnside Business Park in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia for coordinating emergency medical services across the province.

RESTORE

Heart attack patients who are experiencing chest pain and call 911 will receive faster treatment through new training by Advance Care Paramedics. As part of government's Better Care Sooner health plan, the provincial prehospital STEMI Reperfusion Strategy (RESTORE) expanded province wide. This use of prehospital thrombolytics has the potential to significantly reduce the damage to heart muscle caused in a heart attack.

EHS Paramedic Regulatory

From 1994 til April 1, 2017 Emergency Health Services Nova Scotia was the regulatory body for paramedics. In 2005 Department of Health and Wellness started working with paramedics forum the College of Paramedics Advisory Committee (COPAC). The COPAC working with government and paramedic stakeholders from the College of Paramedics of Nova Scotia, which will allow self-regulation in EMS.

Ground Ambulance services and Disaster

EHS leases 150 ambulances through Tri-Star Industries of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. This fleet is procured by the Government of Nova Scotia and managed and operated under contract by Emergency Medical Care Inc. (EMC). There are 65 strategically located ambulance bases throughout the province, some of which are owned by EHS, others are rented by EMC (e.g. volunteer fire departments).