Tasmania’s first permanent Extended Care Paramedic service for the Launceston area was launched on Monday by Health Minister Michael Ferguson.
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The service, which includes a First Intervention Vehicle and three specialised paramedics, was launched after a successful trial of the program in 2012.
“When we send a paramedic crew to a patient our stay at home rate is about 22 per cent, with the extended care paramedic we are able to move that to about 70 percent for the low acuity cases,” said statewide services manager Garry White.
He said the paramedics will assess patients at home and help to prevent low-care patients being admitted into the emergency department.
‘The three paramedics are ... going through a ten week training program which involves theory and practical-based components,” Mr White said.
The paramedics will be able to perform more procedures, administer extra medication and have extended assessment skills. The cost of the initiative is $1.4 million over four years.
