Version 5.1 of the Advanced Life Support Patient Care Standards (ALS PCS) is now in effect. 

The Ministry of Health has amended version 5.0 of the ALS PCS to include 3 new treat and discharge auxiliary medical directives as well as to integrate minor edits. ALS PCS version 5.1 is in force, replacing the previously circulated version 5.0 of the ALS PCS. Support materials related to ALS PCS 5.0 are applicable to 5.1. 

The revisions to these Standards include changes to paramedic clinical practice. The Ontario Base Hospital Group (OBHG) Education Subcommittee has prepared a support document that discusses these practice changes. 

Following completion of Fall CME 2022, the RPPEO has made the necessary revisions to paramedics' MedicNET profiles to provide the certifications paramedics require for these practice changes. Paramedics may notice these changes in the letter they received when their RPPEO certification renewed on February 1, 2022. 
The Ontario Paramedic Clinical Guide mobile application has been updated with the ALS PCS v.5.1.

As a supplement to this update to the Patient Care Standards, the Ontario Base Hospital Group Medical Advisory Committee has rescinded the Memo dated October 19, 2021, “Considerations for Paramedics Managing Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” As COVID-19 becomes endemic, paramedics should rely on the guidance represented by the Patient Care Standards and any additional infectious disease information from their service, the RPPEO and the Ministry of Health (including Public Health Ontario).

The ALS PCS version 5.1 and the support materials available in this article are available in the usual Medical Directives section of the RPPEO web site.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the RPPEO