The Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPHA) is committed to providing safe, quality patient care and the effective use of available resources.

Appropriate use of Emergency Medical Services

The first priority of Emergency Medical Services (i.e. Ambulance) is to provide timely and effective medical care and transportation for life-threatening and urgent situations.  Use of an ambulance is appropriate:

• when it is an emergency situation;
• when the patient is unstable and requires a nurse, paramedic or emergency medical technician and a stretcher.

Non-emergency transportation is a secondary priority for the ambulance system.  Risky situations are created if an ambulance is needed for an emergency situation and is being used for a non-urgent transport. Patients risk missing appointments if they rely on an ambulance and that ambulance is called to respond to an emergency.

 Responsibilities of the Huron Perth Health Care Alliance

The HPHA will continue to arrange and pay for non-ambulance patient transport when the appointment is indicated for ongoing inpatient medical care. This transportation is provided by a private company to ensure that ambulances remain available for emergencies.  If appropriate and possible, the family/substitute decision maker may drive the patient.

Responsibilities of the Patient and/or Family

The patient and/or family/substitute decision maker is responsible to arrange transportation and pay for situations which are not medically required, are elective appointments, leaves of absence or are discharges to a non-hospital destination. If you are to be discharged to a non-hospital destination (e.g. home, retirement home, long term care home), we encourage you to plan these arrangements before discharge. 

We will provide information regarding transportation providers. You or your family may contact the provider of your choice or the hospital will contact the provider on your behalf. If you choose to use a private provider, the provider will bill you or your family directly.

Social Work or Finance (at the St. Marys, Seaforth and Clinton hospital sites) are resources for the patient and family as necessary (e.g. financial issues or alternative resources such as insurance coverage, Veterans Affairs).