RPPEO News & Updates

ALS PCS v.5.4 – Implementation Delay
The Ontario Ministry of Health has not yet announced the release of ALS PCS v.5.4.
While the update was originally expected to take effect in February 2025, the release timeline remains uncertain. Until ALS PCS v.5.4 is formally published, paramedics should continue to follow the current ALS PCS v.5.3 directives.
For updates, please monitor the Ministry of Health’s Paramedic Practice Documents.

Announcing the OMC YouTube Channel: A New Resource for Paramedics
The Online Medical Consultation (OMC) service is supporting paramedicine in our region with real-time physician consultation for paramedics during patient care. To further enhance the use of this critical service, we are thrilled to announce the launch of the OMC YouTube Channel.
This dedicated platform features the OMC Video Series, designed to empower paramedics and Base Hospital Physicians with practical insights, actionable tips, and tools for optimizing OMC consultations. Whether you're navigating complex cases, refining communication during consultations, or staying updated on best practices, these videos are tailored to meet your needs.

MedicNEWS for January 2025
In this issue
- Continuing Education: Unlock 18 hours of elective CME credit available online with just a few clicks, including insightful Critical Levels podcasts. Discover how to enhance your educational journey this year.
- Medical Direction – Feedback for Growth: Dr. Mike Austin takes you into the science and art of giving and receiving feedback, featuring two fascinating paramedic characters, Alex and Brenda, and their post-call reflections. Learn how constructive dialogue can transform patient outcomes and team dynamics.
- Certification – January 31 Deadline: The clock is ticking for your Maintenance of Certification. Get advice on meeting the deadline. And, learn about new Suboxone authorization that expands your scope of practice.
- Pharmacology Resources: Navigate medication information with ease using Health Canada’s Drug Product Database and RPPEO’s Drug Availability Database (DAD). These tools are designed to support informed clinical decisions.

New RPPEO Accessibility Policy
- Paramedics with disabilities can request accommodations for barriers they encounter in certification, education, or other RPPEO services.
- Each request will be evaluated individually, and appropriate accommodations will be determined collaboratively.
- The policy is available on RPPEO.ca in the Policy section.

MedicNEWS for November 2024
The latest MedicNEWS issue is live, bringing paramedics valuable updates, case studies, and new tools to support practice! As a result of the audience survey feedback earlier this year, we're on an improvement trajectory for MedicNEWS. This issue includes more case studies, as requested, and we’re adding more summaries of the longer articles like you’ll see below.
Here’s a peek at what’s inside this month’s edition:
- Meet Your Base Hospital Physician Team 🩺
Discover the physicians supporting paramedics through the Online Medical Consultation (OMC) project. Learn more about the expertise of your BHPs and how they’re dedicated to helping you provide top-notch patient care. - Certification Notifications Made Easy 📧
Starting November 12, MedicNET will keep you on track with automated email notifications for each MoC milestone you complete. Check out how this new feature simplifies maintaining your annual certification! - BHP Corner: Morbidity & Mortality Case Review ⚕️
Gain insights into managing informed patient refusals and learn strategies to overcome common clinical biases. This review explores an intricate case and reminds us of the importance of thorough documentation and unbiased patient assessment.
👉 Click here to read the full issue on Sway
This MedicNEWS issue is packed with resources and insights to support paramedic clinical development and enhance patient care.

Paramedics Wanted for Research on Recruitment
Ornge and NOSM U are collaborating on a study titled "Challenges in Recruitment and Retention of Paramedics: Insights and Solutions in Northern Ontario" and invite paramedics to participate. Your insights as paramedics are invaluable to understanding the challenges and exploring potential solutions for recruitment and retention in our region, particularly for flight paramedics.
Purpose of the Study:
This study aims to gather perspectives on the experiences, opportunities and challenges paramedics face in their career and their decisions to work or continue working in paramedicine. The insights gained will help inform strategies to improve these processes and better support paramedics in our region.
How You Can Participate:
Your participation in this study is voluntary, and your decision to participate or not will not affect your current employment or future opportunities in any way. Participation involves completing an online survey that will take approximately 30 minutes. Your responses will remain confidential and will be used exclusively for research purposes. If you are interested in participating in the second part of the study, you may be invited to take part in a one-hour video-recorded interview to explore in greater depth the existing challenges in the recruitment and retention of paramedics in Northern Ontario.
For more information about the study and to participate, please review the Information Letter available online by clicking here. After reviewing the Information Letter, you may proceed to the survey.
Participants are free to skip any survey questions they do not wish to answer. However, once the survey is submitted, responses cannot be withdrawn, as the survey is not linked to any identifiable information. For the interview portion, participants may decline to answer any questions and can withdraw their responses from the study at any time. However, once the analysis process begins and the data is aggregated, withdrawal will no longer be possible.

Fall 2024 CME Launches Online September 12!
We are thrilled to invite you to join us for our Fall 2024 Continuing Medical Education (CME) program, titled "A Basket of New Skills." This course is designed to enhance your expertise in the latest advancements in paramedic emergency care and introduce new treatments based on updates from Ontario's Ministry of Health to the Advanced Life Support Patient Care Standards (ALS PCS).
Be among the first to explore these cutting-edge updates and complete your online course in MedicLEARN! Stay at the forefront of paramedic care by equipping yourself with the knowledge and skills needed to provide the best possible care to your patients.

Trauma Days Are Back in 2024!
The Regional Paramedic Program for Eastern Ontario (RPPEO) is excited to announce the return of Trauma Days for 2024! Following the success of our full-day courses in Ottawa and Kingston last year, Eric Gagnon is back to deliver his popular and informative Trauma Day Continuing Medical Education (CME) sessions.

National Paramedic Services Week - Special Thank you
It is Paramedic Services Week and the RPPEO would like to acknowledge and honor the hard work and dedication of the paramedics of Eastern Ontario. Over the past year more has been asked of paramedics than ever before, and you have answered the call. Every day you respond to calls for help from the ill and injured. Each call for service is made by someone who sees or feels a problem they believe they cannot manage on their own, and there is a noble place in history for those who come to help.

OMC Evolution
We're thrilled to share an exciting update that will improve patient care: the expansion of Online Medical Consultation (OMC) services to two more base hospitals - the Centre for Paramedic Education and Research (CPER) in Hamilton, and Health Sciences North (HSN) in Sudbury.