Andy Fortington has seen almost every side of emergency care thanks to his 32 years of paramedicine experience and his newer part-time role in the Arnprior Regional Health (ARH) Emergency Department Team, providing triage support.

When health care started to feel the staffing shortage crunch in 2021, ARH proactively partnered with The County of Renfrew Paramedic Service to provide paramedic support to the Emergency Department to prevent disruptions. For Andy, the past 11 months in the Emergency Department have allowed him meaningful work on top of his 911 response role.

Andy (or one of his paramedic colleagues) is often the first person a patient sees at the Emergency Department. He ensures patients get safely into the Emergency Department, helps manage the waiting room and patient flow, and assesses patients’ acuity and level of urgency. He will also educate patients on other available care options, like the Renfrew County Virtual Triage and Assessment Centre, that may be an appropriate choice the next time they have a health care concern.

“It has been a great experience in the Emergency Department,” said Andy. “This partnership is a great example of how we can work collaboratively to help community members get the appropriate care and resources.”