New Medical Priority Dispatch System Now Live in Windsor-Essex

Calls for paramedic services in the Windsor-Essex region are now being triaged and dispatched using the Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS).

The new system is designed to ensure that paramedics are dispatched more efficiently – and more quickly – to the most urgent, life-threatening emergencies.

MPDS is a software-based system used by Ambulance Communications Officers to triage 911 calls based on the severity of a patient’s medical condition. Backed by decades of research and evidence, the system helps communications officers make informed and consistent dispatching decisions.

The Ontario Ministry of Health has successfully implemented MPDS in several communities across the province.

The system went live at Windsor’s Central Ambulance Communications Centre on Wednesday, Sept. 16, with the first call recorded at 11:41 p.m.

“This is an historic day for Essex-Windsor EMS and the dispatching and delivery of paramedic services to residents of Windsor, Essex County and Pelee Island,” said Essex-Windsor EMS Chief Justin Lammers. “I want to thank the province of Ontario for expediting the activation of this new dispatching system in our region. I also extend my thanks to all the paramedics and ambulance communications personnel who actively participated in the rollout and training.”

MPDS prioritizes patients experiencing life-threatening emergencies ahead of those with non-urgent, non-life-threatening conditions.

One change callers may notice is that Ambulance Communications Officers will ask more questions about the patient and their condition. These questions will help determine the urgency of the situation so ambulances can be sent where they are needed most, when they are needed most.

Because MPDS prioritizes calls based on urgency, patients with non‑life‑threatening conditions will, at times, wait longer for an ambulance, particularly during periods when paramedic resources are stretched. Ambulance Communications Officers will monitor delayed calls and connect with patients as needed to determine whether their condition has changed.

“This isn’t a flaw in the system,” said Lammers. “It’s the system working exactly as intended to protect lives and preserve critical paramedic resources for the people who need them most.”

For more information on the new Medical Priority Dispatch System and a list of Frequently Asked Questions, please visit countyofessex.ca/mpds.