Patching

Overview of Centralized Patching

The centralized patching initiative was launched in December of 2020. The goal of the initiative was to move patching towards a centralized model that would give paramedics in the SWORBHP region timely access to a handful of Base Hospital Physicians (BHPs) that specialize in the field of prehospital and transport medicine.

Quick Information

Overview

If you are calling the Primary BHP and your call goes to voicemail after multiple rings, please attempt the Primary BHP line one more time. If you are unable to reach the Primary BHP after two attempts, please utilize the Secondary BHP.

We realize that many paramedics utilize their own personal cell phones and have the BHP numbers preprogrammed into their phone. If you have not already done so, we ask that you please update the phone numbers within your personal cell phones to ensure that your calls are directed to the correct BHP.

At the beginning of any patch to the BHP please provide the following information upfront:

  • Your full name
  • Your scope of practice (PCP or ACP)
  • Your Service
  • Run number
    (we understand in critical situations this might not be available at the time of the call)
  • What order you are calling for
    (This helps the BHP shape the information you are providing about the details of the case)

Please ensure that you provide an early notification to the receiving hospitals during critical patient transports (e.g. cardiac arrest patient whereby the BHP provides order for transport). This helps ensure that the Emergency Department (ED) team has adequate preparation time and thus allowing for a smoother transition of care.

The Secondary BHPs are ED Physicians working at the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) – Victoria Campus. They are the 24/7 Secondary BHPs. They have previous experience answering patches for both PCP and ACP Services.

Primary vs Secondary Lines

When patching there are two options, the primary line is where paramedics will be put in touch with the on-call BHP (see below for the full list of active SWORBHP BHPs), and the secondary line is where paramedics will be directed to the Emergency Department at Victoria Hospital in London. SWORBHP’s BHP is on-call from 0700 to 2300 everyday along with some night shifts from 2300 to 0700. When paramedics cannot access the BHP via the primary line (after 2 attempts) they are to use the secondary line instead.

*Please note that during the night shift, when no BHP is scheduled, the primary line will be directed towards the Emergency Department out of University Hospital in London.

Victoria Hospital Emergency Department

Continuous Improvement

With the launch of the centralized patching model 3 years ago SWORBHP has seen a significant decrease in patch failures, as well as calls taken by patch physicians who are concurrently working in the emergency department.

Palliative Care Patient Care Model – Patching

The Palliative model of care is currently being utilized in both Oxford County Paramedic Services and Grey County Paramedic Services.

Palliative patching takes the centralized patching model but allows paramedics to contact palliative care physicians who are specialized in this very specific field of medicine.

Who are the Base Hospital Patch Physicians?

Base Hospital Patch Physicians

Dr. Matt Davis Patching Profile

Dr. Matthew Davis

Dr. Davis joined SWORBHP in 2010 as the program’s first EMS Medical Fellow. He held the position of Medical Director of Education and Medical Director of Lambton College and Fanshawe College Paramedic Programs from January 2013 – April 2017. Dr. Davis has also been the Local Medical Director for the Central Services (Elgin, Oneida, Oxford, Middlesex-London). As of April 2017, Dr. Davis transitioned into the role of Regional Medical Director. Dr. Davis graduated from Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Nursing Science and a Master of Science in 2002. He graduated from medical school at McMaster University in 2007, and completed his FRCPC Emergency Medicine residency training at Western University in 2012. He is currently an Emergency Physician at London Health Sciences Centre and an Associate Professor in the Division of Emergency Medicine at Western University. Dr. Davis was one of the first physicians in Canada to be granted a Prehospital and Transport Medicine Area of Focused Competence diploma issued by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Dr. Sean Doran Patching Profile

Dr. Sean Doran

Dr. Doran joined SWORBHP in 2017 as the Local Medical Director for Oxford County, Medavie EMS Elgin Ontario, Middlesex-London Paramedic Service and Oneida Nation of the Thames Paramedic Services. Dr. Doran also held the position of Medical Director to Fanshawe and Lambton College Paramedic Programs in 2017-18. Dr. Doran completed a Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Emergency Medicine Residency at Western University. He received his Medical Doctorate Degree from Western University. In addition to this he obtained a Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Western University and also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Law and Psychology from Carleton University. Dr. Doran is currently an Assistant Professor in the Division of Emergency Medicine at Western University and an Emergency Physician at London Health Sciences Centre.
Dr. Paul Bradford Patching Profile

Dr. Paul Bradford

Dr. Bradford has worked in the provincial Base Hospital program for 19 years and joined SWORBHP in October 2008 as a Local Medical Director. He is an Emergency Physician, Trauma Team Leader and Critical Care Assistant. He is a Medical Director of Trauma at the Ouellette Site of Windsor Regional Hospital and was previously the Medical Director and Chief of the ED. Dr. Bradford attended medical school at Queen’s University, completed his Family Medicine training in Sudbury, and his ED training at UWO; completing his Masters in Defense Studies from Royal Military College in Military Trauma System design. He has experience in Base Hospital and Trauma program accreditation reviews.

Dr. Sunil Mehta Patching Profile

Dr. Sunil Mehta

Dr. Mehta joined SWORBHP in 2020 in the role of Local Medical Advisor for the northern Paramedic Services. He moved to Local Medical Director in 2021. Dr. Mehta completed his Bachelor of Science at University of Waterloo and then his medical training at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University in 2006. He subsequently completed his Family Medicine residency at Western University, including the additional year of Emergency Medicine training. Dr. Mehta currently works as an Emergency Physician at Grey Bruce Health Services – Owen Sound, is their Chief Medical Information Officer and has previously served as Chief of the Emergency Department.
Dr. Lauren Valdis Patching Profile

Dr. Lauren Valdis

Dr. Valdis joined SWORBHP as the Medical Director of Education in April 2018. She completed her EMS fellowship training from 2015-2016 with the SWORBHP team, during which she developed a special interest in training and education initiatives. Dr. Valdis completed her Royal College Emergency Medicine residency at Western University, graduating in 2017. Prior to this, she completed her medical training at the Windsor campus of the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western and holds an undergraduate degree in Physiology and Health Sciences from Western University. Dr. Valdis is currently an Assistant Professor in the Division of Emergency Medicine at Western University and an Emergency Physician at London Health Sciences Centre.

Dr. Don Levy Patching Profile

Dr. Don Levy

Dr. Don Levy has been involved as a Base Hospital Physician since 2003 in Windsor-Essex and involved with continuing education with EMS in this role. He has a keen interest in prehospital emergency medicine care and in the past served as the Medical Director of EMS in the Southwestern Region in New
Brunswick. He served as Chief of Emergency Medicine from 2010 to 2019 at Windsor Regional.
Dr. Karalyn Church Patching Profile

Dr. Karalyn Church

Dr. Church is a graduate of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Emergency Medicine Residency at Western University. Prior to that, she completed both her Undergraduate and Medical degrees at the University of Vermont, in Burlington Vermont. While in Vermont, Dr Church worked as both a volunteer EMT and served on the Colchester Technical Rescue Squad for regional based search and rescue. Following a decade of work at LHSC, she has jumped the 401 and can now be found at St Thomas Elgin General
Hospital where she is a consultant Emergency Physician and Adjunct Professor at Western University. Dr Church has a specific interest in emergency services in rural and underserved areas and continues to practice at many different hospital sites across the province via a provincial locum locum physician project.

Dr. Tony Meriano Patching Profile

Dr. Tony Meriano

Dr. Meriano is an Emergency Physician at Windsor Regional Hospital with 21+ years of practice. He has experience with trauma team and critical care as well as with the Canadian Forces.

Dr. Mary Fotheringham Patching Profile

Dr. Mary Fotheringham

Mary Fotheringham, MD, MSc, FRCP completed her medical degree at Dalhousie University in 2009 and residency in Emergency Medicine at the University of Toronto in 2014. Since 2015 she has practiced Emergency Medicine at London Health Sciences Centre. She is an Assistant Professor and Clinician Teacher at Western University and is the Director of Simulation for the Division of Emergency Medicine. Her passions include medical simulation, prehospital Event Medicine, and Star Trek.