This Request for Proposal (the “RFP”) is an invitation by the Regional Municipality of Niagara (“Niagara Region”) to prospective proponents to submit proposals for Electronic Patient Care Record (ePCR) Software Solution, as further described in Section A of the RFP Particulars (Appendix B) (the “Deliverables”). 

Introduction 

Niagara Emergency Medical Services (NEMS) is accepting proposals for either a “hosted” or “on-prem” ePCR software solution (in addition to complementary solutions as further described in Section A of the RFP Particulars (Appendix B) the “Deliverables”) that is currently fully compliant with the Mandatory Technical Requirements form in the Bidding System, including but not limited to the Ministry of Health (MOH) Ontario Ambulance Documentation Standards (OADS), the Ambulance Call Report Completion Manual, and Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA).  In addition, the solution must currently be capable of aligning with current business processes, be scalable to accommodate future expansion, capable of evolving to meet future legislative MOH requirements and integrating with other internal applications/systems.

Every time a patient is treated, transported and/or attended to, NEMS Paramedics complete ePCRs as mandated by the provincial MOH. The information from this report is governed by Ontario legislated documentation standards and is not only needed for clinical purposes, but also in various quality assurance and improvement activities and made available to the MOH Central Integration Platform (CIP), receiving health care facilities, including Niagara Health (NH), Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) and the clinical regulatory body, the Centre for Paramedic Education and Research (CPER). In 2023, over 70,000 ePCRs were completed. 

Geographical Overview: Niagara Region is situated approximately 1 hour southwest of Toronto. It comprises both small-urban and rural areas and is defined on three sides by water bodies: Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, and the Niagara River. The western boundary of the region abuts the Greater Toronto-Hamilton Area (GTHA).

Population and Area: The Niagara Region encompasses 12 local municipalities with a combined population of around 440,000 people and covers an area of over 1,850 square kilometers.

NEMS Overview: NEMS is a division of the Public Health Department of Niagara Region. It provides ambulance services, pre-hospital emergency medical care, and community paramedic programs to the residents of Niagara Region, as well as the approximately 12 million visitors it receives annually.

Operational Details: NEMS operates 24/7, 365 days a year, with a commitment to providing high-quality, evidence-based practices to ensure timely care for patients.

The service operates out of 19 bases and a community response unit strategically located throughout Niagara Region to ensure optimal coverage and timely response for emergency calls.

At peak times, NEMS provides over 100,000 responses annually with 32 ambulances.

Frontline staff includes approximately 425 full-time/part-time paramedics, who make around 70,000 patient contacts annually.

The Niagara Ambulance Communication Service (NACS) manages around 100,000 calls annually, staffed by 40 full-time/part-time System Status Controllers (SSCs).

Additionally, the service employs 5 Emergency Communication Nurses, 2 Occupational Therapists, and 70 management/administrative staff.

Operational Statistics: NEMS handles approximately 54,000 patient contacts each year.

Around 80,000 calls are managed by advanced emergency medical dispatchers annually.

Paramedics perform around 130,000 clinical procedures per year. All Emergency Response Vehicles travel over 3 million kilometers annually. Each ambulance is stocked with over 750 medical supplies.

Infrastructure: NEMS operates from 19 EMS stations, 6 Community Paramedicine Teams, 1 Fleet Centre and 1 Headquarters.