Expansion of NL Health Services Provincial Medical Communications Centre
Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) Health Services is pleased to provide an update on the expanded Provincial Medical Communications Centre (PMCC). As part of the provincial integration of ambulance services, the former dispatch centre, located at the Dr. L.A. Miller Centre in St. John’s, has been expanded to better meet the needs of the new provincial service.
“The modernization of the PMCC is part of the recommendation from Health Accord NL to integrate paramedicine services, adding benefits such as the standardization of service delivery and expansion of ambulance services beyond emergency response,” said Cassie Chisholm, vice-president of transformation health systems with NL Health Services. “The PMCC team works around the clock in high-intensity circumstances, providing emergency support to Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. We are grateful to have a comfortable, safe, modernized space for our team to work in. Thank you to the PMCC team who provide a critical service to the people of our province in their time of need.”
The new PMCC is three times larger and has 19 modernized consoles equipped with state-of-the-art technology for emergency call-taking and dispatch. There is also space for the medical communications team to carry out situation de-briefing or to conduct training and quality exercises, as well as facilities for cooking and resting. The renovations were completed in late 2024, thanks to funding provided by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.
“Our government continues to transform and modernize healthcare,” said the Honourable John Hogan, KC, Minister of Health and Community Services. “This includes providing improved modern facilities for our valued healthcare workers to work in, and in turn more timely and accessible healthcare services to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.”
The PMCC receives and dispatches all call requests for ground ambulance (routine and emergency calls), air ambulance and community paramedicine across the province. The medical communications officer or call taker remains on the line to assist and guide the caller until the ambulance arrives, while a dispatcher simultaneously notifies the crew and dispatches the appropriate ambulance or resource to the call for help. Since the provincial integration of ambulance services on June 1, 2024, the PMCC has received and dispatched more than 66,000 calls for ground ambulance services, 1,704 requests for air services, and 400 requests for community services.
NL Health Services is continuing to recruit members of the paramedicine team, including medical communications officers, primary and advanced care paramedics and emergency medical responders and more. For information about career opportunities, please visit: https://nlhealthservices.ca/careers/.
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