The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is launching a new system to better assess non-emergency 911 calls in Regina and Saskatoon.

Under the system, 911 dispatchers will transfer callers with non-urgent symptoms to specially trained nurses, who will determine whether the patient needs to be taken to an emergency department or directed to a more appropriate care setting.

“The new Emergency Communication Nurse System (ECNS) puts patients first by ensuring they receive timely and effective care while increasing EMS capacity to respond to other emergencies. This will also help to further reduce EMS offload delays at Emergency Departments,” Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said in a news release.

“We are thankful to our frontline health care staff for the important work they do to promptly respond to medical emergencies and ensure patients get the care they need.”

The new triaging technology and personnel will improve emergency response and give patients alternative options to meet their care needs. Over time, the system is expected to ease pressure on emergency departments, prioritize EMS response for patients needing urgent care, improve overall emergency response times and better align patient needs with appropriate care options.

“This new system will help to reduce capacity pressure on emergency departments while also ensuring non-urgent patients are safely connected to the care they need when they need it,” said Rod MacKenzie, Executive Director, Provincial Clinical and Support Services – Community Care in a news release.

“The Emergency Communication Nurse System will support better outcomes for patients who require emergency care while ensuring patients with less urgent needs receive more appropriate treatment in alternate settings.”

The Government of Saskatchewan is investing about $405,000 in one-time funding to establish the Emergency Communication Nurse System in Regina and Saskatoon, along with an estimated $957,000 in annual operating costs.

ECNS registered nurses will be employed by the SHA in Regina and by Medavie Health Services West under contract with the SHA in Saskatoon.

“Medavie Health Services West is proud to be part of this important initiative to improve access to care for residents of Saskatoon,” said Angela Sereda, Senior Operations Manager in a news release.

“By integrating emergency communication nurses into the 911 system, we can better connect patients with the right level of care, ease pressure on our emergency departments, and allow our paramedics to focus on the most urgent emergencies. This is a significant step forward in building a more responsive patient-centred healthcare system across our community.”