Can An MIH-CP Program Return from The Grave? 🪦

Table of Contents

• Trivia!

  • “They’re Coming to Your Door Again”: The Dramatic Revival of House-Call Paramedics

  • EMS Comes Home: Levy County’s Bold Bet on Community Paramedicine

  • Lifeline to Your Doorstep: Huron’s Paramedics Get Forever Funding

Program Return

A long-dormant house-call community paramedicine program is being reintroduced across Almaguin and Parry Sound — bringing medical care back to vulnerable residents in the comfort of their own homes. The initiative aims to reduce hospital visits and ease pressure on overburdened emergency services by treating chronic illnesses, wound care, and urgent—but non-emergency, health needs on site. Referrals will come from doctors, hospitals, and community partners, ensuring the right patients are prioritized.

Backed by provincial funding, the program is framed as a sustainable, long-term bridge between health services and home care.

Residents in remote and rural locales, who’ve long contended with travel barriers, will especially benefit from having care come to them.

New Program

Levy County has officially launched a community paramedicine program to deliver preventive and follow-up health services directly to residents, particularly those with chronic conditions.
Instead of sending ambulances only in emergencies, paramedics will now perform wellness checks, monitor vital signs, and connect patients to community resources.

The goal is to reduce avoidable hospital admissions and emergency room use by catching health issues before they escalate.

Referrals come from physicians, hospitals, and participating agencies, allowing the program to focus on patients who need ongoing support. Officials say it’s a cost-effective approach to bridge gaps in rural health care access and improve outcomes for vulnerable residents.

Funding

Huron County’s community paramedicine program has finally secured permanent provincial funding, ensuring continued support for in-home, non-emergency medical services. This comes as part of a sweeping Ontario commitment to expand community paramedicine and long-term care initiatives, with $89 million pledged toward the effort.

Under the program, paramedics make house calls to assess patients, monitor chronic conditions, administer vaccinations, and provide wellness checks. It evolved from earlier temporary funding that first supported “High Intensity Supports at Home” (HISH) and was later renamed “Community Paramedicine Expanded.” With about $1.4 million per year now guaranteed, local officials see the move as vital to reducing emergency visits and helping vulnerable residents stay in their homes safely.