Albertans will soon see a new name and logo stenciled on ambulances, after the provincially funded emergency medical service provider unveiled a rebrand on Friday. Emergency Health Services (EHS) Alberta will henceforth be known as Alta Paramedic Health, officials with the organization said at a ceremony in northeast Calgary.
Rebranding Reflects Modernization
Les Fisher, managing director of Alta Paramedic Health, said the fresh logo and moniker are part of a broader modernization effort as paramedic health services continue to evolve. “Now is the time to really make a shift in our identity to match the shift that we’re making in how we deliver service,” Fisher said. “There was a lot of pride in the previous name, the previous logo, and a lot was accomplished in the time as AHS EMS. Now is the time to build on that strong foundation and move into the next phase of paramedic services.”
The organization will continue to manage Alberta’s EHS sector, including emergency air and ground ambulance response, interfacility transfers and province-wide dispatch operations. “While our foundation remains unchanged, we are changing how we define who we are, how we meet growing demand and how we prepare for the future of paramedic health services in Alberta,” Fisher added.
Evolving Services and New Initiatives
As examples of the evolving needs of the sector, Fisher said the organization is revamping its dispatch processes by integrating advanced care paramedics with dispatch to perform clinical evaluations over the phone. Alta Paramedic Health is also adding six new non-transport Health Evaluation and Linkage Paramedic Units (HELP-U). The vehicles are staffed by a single paramedic who is focused on responding to low-acuity calls that don’t require emergency transport, but may still require hands-on assessment and minor treatment.
The organization is also piloting alternative transport and destination models, such as using taxis to take low-acuity patients to more appropriate care settings than hospitals, freeing up ambulances to continue responding to emergencies.
Paramedics Embrace Change
Naomi Nania, an advanced care paramedic for 19 years, said the job has evolved significantly throughout her career. She noted that paramedics don’t just respond to emergencies, but to increasingly diverse, acute and complex patient needs. “Paramedics are delivering advanced clinical care, making critical decisions in very unpredictable environments and serving communities in ways that continue to expand every year,” she said. “That is why modernization matters. This new chapter represents more than a name change, it reflects who we are becoming as a profession and the level of care we are capable of providing to Albertans.”
Why Alta?
Alta is a common short-hand for Alberta, but it also comes from the Latin word for “tall,” which Fisher said reflects how paramedics “stand tall” for their patients and their province.
