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Priority Dispatch Applauds 21% Improvement in Response Times for Life-Threatening Calls for Georgian Central Ambulance Communications Centre

Blog / Priority Dispatch Applauds 21% Improvement in Response Times for Life-Threatening Calls for Georgian Central Ambulance Communications Centre

10 Mar. 2026
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Salt Lake City, UT — March 9, 2026—One‑year analysis shows a 21% improvement in response times for the most critical calls and a signification reduction in overtime for the Georgian Central Ambulance Communications Centre (CACC) in Ontario, Canada, after implementing the Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS® ).

"The intent by the province with this more sophisticated dispatch system is to get paramedics to calls — urgent, life-threatening calls — more quickly. We are seeing exactly that," said Jane Sinclair, the county’s general manager of health and emergency services.

Priority Dispatch® congratulates CACC on these significant improvements achieved in their first full year using the Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS). According to a one‑year analysis presented to Simcoe County Council, MPDS has “fundamentally changed” how call priorities are distributed and has contributed to major operational enhancements across the service.

During the review period, overall call volume remained stable; however, CACC reported markedly better call‑volume management and a healthier work environment. Officials attribute these improvements to MPDS’s precision in triage, noting:

  • More accurate prioritization,
  • More appropriate resource allocation, and a
  • Significant reduction in overtime, allowing for more consistent rest periods and more effective scheduling.

Jane Sinclair further stated that staff were “very pleased to see the result of this new system,” noting that MPDS's structured question‑and‑answer process has also increased accuracy in determining call severity, reducing the chances of mis‑triage. As Sinclair emphasized, “MPDS… ask[s] more questions, so the level of accuracy is much better.”

Frontline performance data further reflects the system’s impact:

  • Paramedics arrived first on scene for urgent/emergency calls 41% of the time, up from 34%.
  • Fire services were dispatched to 76% of sudden cardiac arrests, up from 72%.
  • Combined fire–paramedic arrival within six minutes for sudden cardiac arrest improved to 59%, up from 55%.

What we’re seeing in Ontario is exactly what MPDS is meant to do. It helps get the sickest patients help faster, keeps responders better prepared, and brings more clarity to every step of the call,” said Bryon Shultz, Medical Standards Expert. “Their first year of results really reinforces what we see around the world every day — when dispatchers have a structured, evidence‑based system guiding them, things run smoother, risk goes down, and ultimately, more lives are saved.

Local leaders have responded positively. Wasaga Beach Mayor Brian Smith stated he initially had concerns but now recognizes the change as a “massive improvement.” “This is essential to life saving in our communities,” Smith added.