Winnipeg, MB - Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) member Ryan Sneath received the Paramedic Chiefs of Canada (PCC) Award of Excellence in the Innovative Treatment or Technology category at the 2014 Paramedic Chiefs of Canada conference in Vancouver. The award, presented on Thursday, June 12, celebrates Sneath’s efforts to establish HIV Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) which is delivered to clients through the Main Street Project Community Paramedic Program.
“Paramedic Sneath has worked hard to bring better patient care and safety standards to Winnipeggers,” said Mayor Sam Katz. “His commitment to frontline community healthcare has made a great impact in our city.”
“Medical Supervisor Sneath and the project team have shown pride and determination in their work and have demonstrated the true meaning of patient advocacy in every aspect of this program’s development and in their daily work,” said Christian Schmidt, Deputy Chief, Fire/EMS Operations & 911 Communications, WFPS. “Their efforts have resulted in significant and measurable healthcare improvements and cost savings which have had positive impacts for the patients and the emergency medical system in our community.”
The Main Street Project is a not-for-profit organization located in the downtown area of Winnipeg that houses some of the most vulnerable citizens in the City of Winnipeg. In 2009, the WFPS partnered with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) to place a paramedic on staff at the Main Street Project to provide medial assessments, emergency care, and input on policy decisions. Part of this care is administering HIV Point-of-Care Testing (POCT).
POCT is a way for WFPS to work with the Manitoba HIV Program and other local HIV prevention groups to identify HIV within the community and prevent the spread of the disease. While administering POCT, the paramedic at the Main Street Project not only provides patients with the most appropriate care, but also delivers education and educational materials directed at prevention strategies.
The Paramedic Chiefs of Canada is a national forum for industry representation, a repository for EMS best-practices information, and an organization that supports and promotes EMS leadership development.