Booking Patient Transport

Are you a Medical Escort? 

PLEASE READ:  COVID-19 MEDICAL ESCORT INFORMATION
Read below for information and downloadable documents for Medical Escorts. If you have any questions or concerns, visit the Healthcare Partner FAQ page. 

Medical Escorts

Medical escorts are physicians (including residents and fellows), nurses and respiratory therapists of the sending healthcare facility that accompany and provide medical care to patients during transport by air/land to a receiving healthcare facility.

There may be circumstances in which Ornge does not have the appropriate medical staff immediately available to satisfy a transfer request. In this case, the sending facility may:

  • Advise Ornge that it wishes to utilize a primary care paramedic and will provide a medical escort to provide the appropriate care. 
  • Advise Ornge that it will wait until critical care or advanced care paramedics are available to complete the transport.

In the case that the sending facility chooses to provide a medical escort, they must ensure that the escort brings appropriate medical supplies, equipment and medication necessary to maintain continuity of patient care from the sending facility to the receiving facility.

Information for Medical Escorts

PLEASE READ:  COVID-19 MEDICAL ESCORT INFORMATION
Please click the subject below to read or download instructions designed for Medical Escorts. For information on what medical escorts should wear on a transport, please read this article.

Medical Escorts Checklist

Medical escorts are physicians, nurses or respiratory therapists who accompany and provide medical care to patients during transport. This document provides information for Medical Escorts on the following:

 
  1. Medical Escort Checklist
  2. Out of Country Checklist
  3. Items to Bring
 

Medical escorts checklist:

  • Verify level of care provided on the aircraft/vehicle with the Operation Control Centre (e.g. Primary Care, Advanced Care or Critical Care).
  • For aircraft transports, provide weight of escort and/or family members if applicable (due to aircraft weight restrictions).
  • Prepare appropriate equipment, medication, and supplies as it relates to patient treatments or care and ensure all medical equipment is fully charged and charging cables are available if required (please reference the vehicle equipment and supply lists for Primary Care, Advanced Care and Critical Care).
  • Obtain a current report on the diagnosis and condition of the patient being transported.
  • Obtain any necessary medical records and documentation such as transfer letters, patient history, nursing and physician notes and diagnostic results.
  • Communicate limit of one small suitcase to family members.
  • Monitor and document patient condition and care rendered during the transfer.
  • Return all equipment and unused medication and supplies to the Sending Facility.
 

Applies only if the patient is going out-of-country:

  • Ensure that the patient and any accompanying family members have
    1. passports or
    2. if landed immigrants in Canada must have their passport from their original country and their landed immigration papers.
Items to bring include:
  • Credit card
  • Hospital identification
  • Health card
  • Hospital identification
  • Appropriate additional clothing
  • Passport (out-of-country transport)
  • OCC phone number (1-833-401-5577)
 

Want more information?

A Communications Officer is available 24/7 in our Operations Control Centre to address any concerns you have by calling 1-833-401-5577.

Medical Escort Reimbursement Form

The Medical Escort Reimbursemsnt form can be downloaded, completed and submitted to finance-ap@ornge.ca, or to the address below:

 
ATTN: Accounts Payable
Ornge
5310 Explorer Drive,
Mississauga, ON L4W 5H8

Want more information?

 

A Communications Officer is available 24/7 in our Operations Control Centre to address any concerns you have by calling 1-833-401-5577.



​The Medical Escort Reimbursemsnt form is available online:

Primary Care Equipment

Aircraft/land vehicles with a PCP(f) on board will include a Lifepak 12 or Zoll X (LP12/Zoll) monitor defibrillator that can perform the following: non-invasive blood pressure monitoring, heart rate monitoring, and oxygen saturation monitoring and semi-automatic defibrillation.
 
The following is a simplified equipment and supplies list found on all Primary Care Vehicles:
 
OXYGEN EQUIPMENT
Oxygen delivery means (adult and paediatric masks such as simple, non-rebreather, nebulizer, nasal cannula) BVM with oxygen reservoir and assorted
resuscitation masks (adult, paediatric and infant)
Portable and “M” size oxygen cylinders with
regulator for in-flight administration
Set of oral and nasal airways
VVAC suction unit (hand held unit) with spare
cartridges
 
 
SUCTION EQUIPMENT
Wall Mounted suction unit Suction tubing, Yankeur suction tips and various
sized suction catheters
 
FIRST AID SUPPLIES
Triangular bandages Nitrile gloves
Kling, gauze pads, pressure dressings – various sizes Antiseptic hand cleaner
Blood pressure cuff (adult & paediatric) Hypo allergenic and adhesive tape
Toilet paper roll, Tissues, Towelettes 500 ml sterile saline
Scissors Digital thermometer
Reflective foil type disposable emergency blankets Surgical face masks
Emesis bags and basins Bedpan/Urinal
Incontinent pads Eye pads/Band-Aids
Cold packs  
 
COLLARS and SPLINTS
Multi-purpose upper arm/lower leg splints (i.e.
Speed and Quick Splints)
Assorted cervical collars (baby, paediatric, no neck, short, regular, tall)
Spinal immobilization (Kendrick extrication device -
KED)
Scoop stretcher– with quick
connect straps
Towel rolls for cervical immobilization  
 
COMMERCIALLY PREPARED SPECIALIZED KITS
Obstetrical Kit Burn Kit
 
SYMPTOM RELIEF EQUIPMENT AND OTHER RELATED MEDICATIONS
Glucometer with tests strips and lancets Alcohol swabs
Band-Aids and gauze pads (6 cm x 6 cm) Syringes – 1 cc and 3 cc with needle
ASA (80 mg tablets in bottles of 24) Ventolin nebules (2.5, 5 mg)
Epinephrine 1:1000 (1 ml ampoules) Glucagon (1 mg)
Nitroglycerine (NTG) (0.4 mg/metered dose spray, 75 doses) Gravol (50 mg ampules and PO)
Narcan (2 mg ampules) Toradol (30 mg ampules)
 
IV EQUIPMENT
Small disposable sharps container 250 ml and 1000 ml bags of N/S
Intraosseous needles: #15, #16, #18 Pressure infuser bags
I.V. tubing: Macro drips, Micro drip, Blood Admin. Sets Disposable I.V. catheters: 14 -24 gauge
Assorted syringes and needleless “needles” Tourniquets, Tegaderm or Op-Site clear sterile dressings, Disposable razor

Want more information?
A Communications Officer is available 24/7 in our Operations Control Centre to address any concerns you have by calling 1-833-401-5577.

Advanced and Critical Care Equipment

Aircraft/land vehicles with an advanced care flight paramedic on board include a LTV 1200 (LTV) mechanical ventilator (capable of providing volume / pressure support), Allaris 3 multi-chamber infusion pumps and a LifePak 12 or Zoll X Series, Defibrillator/Cardioversion/ Transcutaneous Pacer-Monitor capable of non-invasive blood pressure monitoring (NIBP), ECG (4 and 12 Lead), end tidal CO2, temperature monitoring, as well as oxygen saturation monitoring.  Select Advanced Care bases are also equipped with isolettes.
 
The following is a simplified equipment and supplies list found on all Advanced Care Vehicles:
 
ADVANCED AIRWAY MANAGEMENT
Endotracheal tubes (sizes 2.5 - 9.0) Magill – adult and paediatric
Laryngoscope with blades (MacIntosh and Miller) Stylet (adult and paediatric), Bougie and syringes
Lidocaine spray 10 mg with nozzle Rusch Quick Trach
LMA (sizes 3 – 5) / King LTS-D Airway (3,4,5) Neosynephrine 0.25% spray
Tube ties and ETT adapter Roll of waterproof tape
Endotrol nasotracheal tubes (sizes 6 – 8) Water soluble lubricant
Needle chest decompression kit and Asherman Chest Seal
 
IV EQUIPMENT
Small disposable sharps container 250 ml and 1000 ml bags of N/S & 1000ml Ringer’s Lactate
I.V. tubing: Macro drips, Micro drip, Saline locks, Blood Administration Sets Tourniquets, Tegaderm or Op-Site clear sterile dressings, Disposable razor
Intraosseous needles: #15, #18 Disposable I.V. catheters: 14 -24 gauge
Assorted syringes and needleless adapters Pressure infuser bags
 
MISCELLANEOUS
Nasogastric Tubes – various sizes Foley Catheters – various sizes
Chest Drainage System  
 
Critical Care Vehicle Equipment and Supplies List
Aircraft/land vehicles with critical care paramedics on board is comprised of the equipment and supplies that are listed for the Primary Care Vehicles and the Advanced Care Vehicles plus the following:
 
OBS/Vascular Doppler and a LifePak 12 or Zoll X Series are capable of transducing arterial and central lines, transvenous pacemakers.  Select Critical Care bases are also equipped with Arrow AutoCat II Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump devices. Note: only Arrow AutoCat II IABP devices may be transported by Ornge aircraft/land ambulance.  Hospitals using other devices should contact Ornge to discuss logistical considerations prior to transport.


Want more information?
A Communications Officer is available 24/7 in our Operations Control Centre to address any concerns you have by calling 1-833-401-5577.