Niagara-on-the-Lake’s popular Learn & Live series is back with its first-of-the-year session about an important community program called the Falls Intervention Team (FIT). A paramedic and an occupational therapist will be on hand at the NOTL Public Library on Feb. 24 to explain their role in the community.
The Local spoke with Marty Mako, Commander of the Mobile Integrated Health, Niagara Emergency Medical Services to learn more.
When paramedics respond to a 911 call and determine the patient has fallen but does not have injuries requiring transportation to a hospital, they will call the FIT team to respond to the site immediately.
The FIT team would help with “lift assist type calls where there's a need for help up, but there's a very low likelihood of transport to hospital,” said Mako. However, if a fall results in a hip fracture, for example, the ambulance will transport the patient to hospital.
Mako explained that while falls aren’t new, the way Niagara EMS is handling them is different.
“We've responded to these types of 911 calls for many, many years. But in the past, our only option was sending an ambulance and two paramedics for low acuity (non-life-threatening) falls.”
Paramedics would help return the person to an upright position, but did not have the time nor expertise to address the root cause of the fall. “We were seeing a lot of individuals who were falling frequently and we would respond, help them back up and then leave, but not address why they fell in the first place,” said Mako.
IN 2018 Niagara EMS created a number of mobile integrated health (MIH) teams with the goal of trying to get people “the right care at the right place at the right time.”
“Speed is essential for those high-acuity time sensitive emergencies,” said Mako, “but for what we call low-acuity emergencies, it's more about getting them the right care.”
Once a paramedic completes a full medical assessment on a patient who has fallen and rules out transportation to hospital, an occupational therapist, who is part of the multidisciplinary team (MIH), arrives on scene to work with the patient.
“They have a whole different skill-set and toolbox than paramedics have,” explained Mako. The OT completes different types of assessments to address root cause, looks over mobility equipment, and spots rugs or other tripping hazards that a medic might not necessarily notice.
“The FIT team are only active in the 911 environment, so they're not doing case management,” said Mako, who added that they have more time to learn about patient history, to understand root cause, and to follow up with health education or referrals to regional health and community care.
Mako said the presentation at the library “will be a lot more in depth” and that lifting equipment will also be demonstrated.
“It’s not just two arms under your armpits anymore. There are safer ways to lift.”
Register for Fit for Life on the library’s website. The Learn & Live session takes place Monday, Feb, 24, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
March’s Live & Learn sessions will address the senior housing crisis in Niagara-on-the-Lake, said Terry Mactaggart, Learn & Live founder. Cyber Safety will be the April’s topic. Refer to the NOTL Library’s website for more information.