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ANNUAL REPORT
01.04.07 – 31.03.08

To ensure we remain a leader in the field of transport medicine and provide the best possible care to Ontarians,
we need the support and partnership of the corporate community and the community at large. That is why in
2007-08, we established the Ornge Foundation and received a charity business number enabling Ornge to issue
tax receipts for donations in support of the work we do in the province.
With the support of the community, the Ornge Foundation will be able to support and promote improved patient care and encourage education training of healthcare
providers in transport medicine. It will also ensure continued advancement in research and development while promoting technological innovation in the area of transport
medicine. During the year, a strategic plan and case for support was developed to inspire the residents of Ontario, corporations and service clubs to invest in Ornge and our
future vision for transport medicine in the province.
Table of Contents
4 A word from the President and CEO and Chairman of the Board
6 Transport Medicine
8 Academy of Transport Medicine
9 Mobile Simulation
10 Research and Development
10 Recognition for superior patient care and safety
11 Doc in a Box
12 Ornge accolades
12 Critical Care Land Transport Program
13 Additional fixed wing aircraft based in Thunder Bay
14 Stakeholders
15 Emergency Medical Assistance Team
16 J Smarts
17 Ornge Communications Centre
18 Ornge Leadership Academy
19 Ornge and OPSEU agreement
20 The Ornge Pulse Awards
23 Board of Directors

Committed to making safe…safer
2007-08 was a year of significant accomplishment for Ornge. Ontario’s medical
transport program, the elements of which were merged under the Ornge banner
in 2006, completed a five-year strategic plan after just two years of operation.
Statistics
FY07/08 FY06/07 % Change
Requests 24,326 25,536 -5%
Admissions 16,918 17,788 -5%
Flights 13,132 13,965 -6%
Patient Transfer Authorization Centre Requests 385,016
Medical Transfers Numbers 384,102
As President and CEO and
Chairman of the Board, we are
extremely proud of this
accomplishment, and great
credit is due to the executive team and
Ornge staff for making this happen in a
clock from nine bases around the province.
The fleet includes 11 helicopters,
more than 70 planes and a Critical
Care Land Transport system covering the
Ottawa-area - and almost 18,000
admissions were provided by those
inherited several significant problems. The
dedicated fleet of aircraft was aging. As a
result, planes and helicopters were spending
more time on the ground receiving
maintenance than in the air transporting
patients. When we first took over, fewer
disengaged and there was almost a
complete absence of stakeholder
engagement, meaning there was little or
no outside awareness of the services and
programs we provide.
transfers with our doctors triaging calls
several times a day and subsequently
accommodated 18,000 of them – this was
simply not a tenable situation.
All of these factors prompted us to take an
safety management systems of all aviation
operators to ensure the aircraft not only
meet the standards set out by Transport
Canada but exceed them. Ornge is
committed to making safe…safer.
remarkably short timeframe. The successful
vehicles in 2007-08.
than one in five of our transports was being
Worst of all, neither the business model nor
entirely different approach. We embarked
We are extremely proud of our
completion of the strategic plan is, we
done by our dedicated fleet. For all the rest
the business plan was adequate to the task
on a very aggressive strategic plan with
accomplishments to date, but recognize that
believe, a clear indication that we are finally
As impressive as the growth has been since
we were forced to rely on agreements with
of sustaining, let alone growing, the
clear goals and outcomes. We have
much more needs to be done. Our mission is
Dr. Chris Mazza
moving in the right direction.
1977, the growth – and nature of that
various airline carriers, an expensive and
company. What this meant was that if we
introduced a proactive stakeholder relations
to ensure that Ontarians have improved
President and CEO
growth – since 2006 has been equally as
inefficient arrangement.
had continued with “business as usual”,
program and we have begun the process of
access to Transport Medicine when and
The original air ambulance program was
impressive. Ornge has grown and matured
operating in the same manner as had been
replacing the aging fleet of aircraft,
where they need it. That means making
created in 1977, with just one helicopter
as a company in ways that cannot be
In addition, we were faced with a physical
the norm, we would have been operating
including both rotor and fixed wing.
Ornge a better, more efficient and more
based in Toronto. Today, Ornge is one of the
captured with simple numbers.
plant in disrepair and an inadequate
under the cloud of a $165 million deficit in
Aviation contracts previously negotiated by
sustainable company. In that regard, we are
largest and most sophisticated programs in
the world. We have more than 181
paramedics operating around the
When we took over the Medical
Authorization Transfer Centre (MATC), we
information system that provided no way of
measuring levels of performance or creating
benchmarks. Our workforce was
only 4 years. For a company already failing
to meet all the demands for its services – in
2005 we received 26,000 requests for
the ministry are now managed by the newly
created Ornge Aviation Department. This
department now has direct oversight of the
wheels up and well on our way. We would
not presume to say that skies ahead are
perfectly clear, but the forecast is a good one.
Mr. Rainer Beltzner
Chairman of the board

Transport
Medicineis about delivering specialized
medical care in a mobile environment. It could be a fixed wing or rotor wing aircraft, or land
transport. Transport medicine is the connective tissue for the hospital system – it links
hospitals together enabling access to specialized care for the people of Ontario.
Ornge transport medicine paramedics and nurses are trained to provide care for critically
ill or injured patients outside the traditional bricks and mortar of a hospital.
Transport medicine is becoming more
relevant to health care and medical
incidents of time-critical conditions,
such as heart attacks and strokes.
At the same time, medical advances in
technology and medications often must be
utilized within a crucial window of time –
the “golden hour” – to be beneficial to the
patient. A U.S. study using Trauma Resource
Allocation Model for Ambulances and
Hospitals (TRAMAH) demonstrated that
helicopters significantly
increased the number of
persons who can reach
a trauma centre within
the “golden hour”.
Ornge Transport Medicine is the unique
result of an evolution in critical care transport
medicine – one which began nearly 20
years ago and today exists in the creation of
the first health care organization of its kind
in Canada, one of the largest transport
medicine organizations in North America.
Further, to support the growing recognition
of transport medicine as an important part
of health care delivery, Ornge is building on
its history of innovation to enhance its role
as a leader in transport medicine by creating
a more academic and clinical approach to
its educational programming as a means of
addressing the evolving needs of the health
care system.
Medical Excellence
Ornge is committed to excellence in transport medicine. To support this commitment, Ornge’s
Medical Affairs Department provides the link between physicians
who provide medical support and direction and the
provision of patient care provided by the paramedics.
The department is responsible for the provision of medical care within Ornge including
medical quality assurance systems, documentation, and physician management. The physician
group consists of Transport Medicine physicians across Ontario providing on-line medical
control to flight paramedics during transport.
They are experienced and highly trained in providing specialized
care to patients in the medical transport environment
– our virtual hospital.
Sherry and Jason Foster – City of Owen Sound
Our family wanted to extend our gratitude for going over and
above to transport Jonathan Foster to Sick Kids CCU. Thank you so
much for treating our family so kindly. Jonathan was treated… and
‘‘is now home doing very well. May God bless you both.

Academy of Transport Medicine
‘‘
Jennifer Vachon
– Town of Englehart
A late but sincere thank you
for all you and your partner
did for Denis – from the time
you arrived in Englehart until
I saw you visiting with Denis
’’
We are so grateful!
The Ornge Academy of Transport Medicine
was established in 2007 and provides
education programs based on an
innovative and flexible model that integrates
many different types of learning into a single
program. Learners participate in classroom
sessions, videoconferences, seminars, patient
simulations, on-line learning and placements
in hospitals and on air and land ambulances.
Academic study is combined with clinical and
preceptorship experience at every stage to
balance theory and practice. Programs are
organized to provide time and flexibility to
accommodate work and other commitments.
A significant amount of learning is done
through independent study and the use of
learning technology means learners are not
required to travel far to interact with peers
and instructors.
The evolving needs of Ontario’s newly regionalized
health care system — including
Ornge’s expanded mandate in developing
and delivering an integrated system of land
and air critical care transport medicine; the
increasing level of acuity of the patients
being transported; and Ornge’s role in emergency
preparedness and response – have
firmly established the essential and increasing
role of transport medicine in integrating Ontario’s
health care system. To meet emerging
demands in clinical care, service delivery, access
to care, education, research and administration,
the Ornge Academy of Transport
Medicine is seeking affiliations with Ontario
universities to develop the field of transport
medicine, and enhance academic programming
and research. Such partnerships will ensure
the diverse body of transport medicine
professionals and researchers across Ontario
is able to adapt to the changing needs of the
provincial health care system, while the people
and communities of Ontario have access
to high quality health care and services when
they need them.
The Academy of Transport Medicine’s
advanced care flight paramedic and critical
care paramedic programs have received
accreditation from the Canadian Medical
Association. Currently, Academy of
Transport Medicine programs include:
Aeromedical Program
Designed for Primary Care Land Paramedics
(PCP) interested in employment in the flight
domain, the Aeromedical Program is a distance
education course that is continually offered.
The Aeromedical Program is a
self-study package that allows the student to
take up to three months to learn and integrate
new knowledge before completing an
on-line examination. Successful graduates are
qualified to apply to write the Ontario Ministry
of Health & Long-Term Care (MOHLTC)
aeromedical certification examination.
Admission Requirements: MOHLTC Advanced
Emergency Medical Care Assistant certificate.
The vast geography of the province and the
logistics required to deliver paramedic
education necessitated the development of
a groundbreaking alternative to traditional
forms of education. The solution is in the
Mobile Human Patient Simulator.
The simulator is a state-of-the-art METI ®
Human Patient Simulator (HPS). The HPS is a
synthetic patient with dynamic cardiovascular,
pulmonary and pharmacological responses
that allow the simulator to respond in real
time. The HPS is housed in a 48-foot fifthwheel
trailer that transports this innovative
learning opportunity directly to flight
paramedics in their own communities.
Designed from the wheels up, this state-ofthe-art
Mobile Simulation Unit simulates
both land and flight paramedic working
environments.
Audio visual capabilities include digital
recording to capture simulations essential to
debriefing opportunities. With the onboard
multi-media projector the classroom is
brought right to the student, allowing
didactic presentations to be viewed then
incorporated into practice on the HPS.
The mobile simulation centre provides an
innovative, realistic and consistent
educational environment to assist in the
integration of paramedic skills, knowledge
and decision making. Maintenance of
paramedic competency on high acuity, low
frequency cases is one of the major goals of
the mobile simulation center.
Enrollment is always receptive to new applicants.
Once enrolled, the student has up to
3 months to complete their self-study before
being required to write the course examination
on-line. However, students may complete
the examination at any time before
their three month time frame has expired.
Advanced Care Flight Paramedics
(ACP(f)) Program (CMA Accredited)
Designed for Primary Care and Flight Paramedics
wanting to upgrade their assessment
and clinical skills and practice as Advanced
Care providers in the land or air environment,
the ACP program accounts for the student’s
prior knowledge of Primary Care and focuses
on expected differences in skills and knowledge
while introducing new concepts and
content in advanced life support.
ACP(f) Bridge Program
Designed for Advanced Care Land Paramedics
wanting to transition to the flight domain,
this program “bridges” the
gaps between land and air. The
Bridge program accounts for the
student’s prior learning and focuses
on expected differences in
skills and knowledge without requiring
the repetition of an entire
education program.
Advanced standing is available for graduates
of CMA-approved education programs.
Critical Care Paramedics (CCP) Program
Designed for Advanced Care Paramedics interested
in broadening their scope and understanding
of critically ill or injured patients,
the CCP program expands on the advanced
life support knowledge and skills that an ACP
possesses and introduces more advanced approaches
to the treatment and transfer of the
patient.

Research
& Development
The Research and Development
(R&D) department at Ornge was
established to further knowledge
and innovation in transport
medicine.
The department builds on the
existing strengths for research
and innovative thinking within
the organizations many divisions,
and establishes a core of expertise available
to internal and external stakeholders in the
transport medicine industry.
Although in its infancy, the research and
development nucleus has a track record of
academic rigour, peer-reviewed publications,
grants, and collaborations with many
external stakeholders. Currently, Ornge has
four dedicated researchers focusing on
transport medicine and the best possible
ways to improve in-flight patient care. Core
areas of investigation include:
• Epidemiology and predictors of adverse
events in air medical transport
• Evidence-based practice models
• Impact of stress on paramedic
performance
• Simulator- based education methods
• Sentinel events monitoring
• Risk mitigation of infectious diseases.
Since 2006, the Ornge research and
development team has initiated six projects
and attracted approximately $100,000 in
external, peer reviewed research grants. To
date, Ornge has developed research
partnerships with teams at Toronto’s
University Health Network, Sunnybrook
Health Sciences Centre, the Institute of
Clinical and Evaluative Sciences, the
University of Toronto, Toronto Public Health
and Mount Sinai Hospital. Ornge researchers
are assisting in the supervision of graduate
research theses at the University of Toronto’s
Institute of Medical Sciences. In addition,
Ornge flight paramedics have participated in
a successful study of severely head-injured
trauma patients.
For many professionals voluntary
accreditation is the ultimate in
recognition. It is acknowledgement
from your peers that you meet or surpass a
standard of excellence in your field.
The Commission on Accreditation of
Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS) is a
voluntary evaluation process that allows
medical services to validate their compliance
with superior standards. Ornge has always
sought and achieved accreditation and
recognition of excellence for its commitment
to maintaining the highest principles in
patient care and safety aboard our
helicopters and airplanes.
In 2007, Ornge exceeded the CAMTS
standards and received full accreditation for
medical transport utilizing helicopters,
airplanes and for the very first time critical
care land transport. With the addition of the
land transport Ornge becomes the only
Canadian transport medicine provider to
earn accreditation in the three modes of
transport.
Members of the CAMTS board visited Ornge
locations across the province over a number
of days and looked into all aspects of Ornge
operations, including patient care and safety,
vehicles and the scope of Ornge services.
The CAMTS board cited Ornge initiatives in
utilizing advancements in technology to
design the new communications center, the
desire to expand access by increasing the
Ornge recognized for superior
patient care and safety
THREE YEAR RECOGNITION FOR AIR AND LAND TRANSPORT A FIRST
number of helipads (designated landing
zones) and the development of the
Emergency Medical Assistant Team (EMAT)
which can be deployed in the event of a
medical disaster to communities in need as
innovative and collaborative.
Full accreditation is valid
for a three year period.
Ornge innovation examines the
impact of locating the Transport
Medicine Physician directly in
the communication centre
Ornge is steadfastly committed to advancing the frontiers of
transport medicine. As part of this commitment 2007 saw the
launch of a pilot program entitled “Doc in a Box”. This program
placed the on call Transport Medicine Physician either directly
within the Ornge Communications Centre (OCC), or in their local
Ornge base with connection to the OCC via webcam.
Prior to this initiative the Transport
Medicine Physician on call worked
from home utilizing pagers and cell
phones to provide medical direction
to Ornge paramedics and transport nurses.
Triage requests were handled in the same
manner. It is hoped that by placing the
physician directly in the OCC or their local
base it will enable Ornge to enhance the level
of care and service provided to our patients.
By having the Transport Medicine Physician
directly in the communications centre it
offers immediate access to physician triage
on all calls, which will increase time efficiency
in the triage of emergent requests, and will
enhance the accuracy of that triage.
Immediate access to information will also
strengthen the Transport Medicine Physician’s
interaction with sending hospitals to
encourage better triage decisions when they
are required. It will also advance the ability of
Ornge to provide medical support to sending
facilities.
Doc in a Box
As the need for transport medicine services
increases so too do the demands for instant
decision making on the part of the Transport
Medicine Physician. The program will
examine any impact from locating the
physician directly in the communications
centre, and if it assists the physicians
awareness of all Ornge resources when they
make decisions on the redirection of aircraft
based on patient need.
After a successful trial, the “Doc in a Box”
program was fully implemented in May
2008.
‘‘
Peggy Taylor
– City of Kawartha Lakes
Our heartfelt thanks for all
you did for our beloved
Mother, Grandmother &
Great-Grammy Shirley Taylor.
Although we lost her on
September 18 th , without
your expertise on that day
we would not have had 2
more weeks with her. What
you did goes beyond what
words could ever say.
The compassion and
professionalism you showed
did not go unnoticed….
Again, our utmost gratitude
and appreciation to all of
you for what you did for our
family. We are so proud and
grateful that we have a
team like yours to rely on in
’’
times of need.

Ornge earns accolades at 2007
Air Medical Transport Conference
Every fall the Association of Air Medical Services hosts the Air Medical Transport
Conference (AMTC). The AMTC is an annual exposition and conference that
provides educational opportunities to both the clinical and aviation aspects of
transport medicine.
Not only does the AMTC provide educational sessions, but it also provides a forum
for competition and recognition of excellence in the field of transport medicine.
Each year METI ® (Medical Education Technologies Inc.), hosts the METI ® Cup as
part of the AMTC conference. The METI ® Cup provides flight paramedics with the
opportunity to showcase their critical care skills in a competitive environment.
Utilizing human patient simulation technology teams of two paramedics from air
medical transport services across North America compete head-to-head showcasing
their skills.
The 2007 competition saw Ornge critical care paramedics Wayde Diamond and
Jonathan Lee finish by the narrowest of margins to first place. Their impressive
performance earned them an invitation to compete at the 2008 AirMed World
Congress to be held in Prague, Czech Republic.
In addition to Ornge paramedics gaining recognition, the Ornge Research and
Development department won first place honours in the scientific poster
competition. The Foundation for Air-Medical Research and Education (FARE)
awarded the research poster “Characterization and Determination of Critical
Events during Air Medical Transport in Adult Patients in Ontario, Canada” first
place. Dr. Russell D. MacDonald, Medical Director of the research program was
on hand to accept the award.
In June, Ornge was designated, through
Bill 171, The Health Systems
Improvement Act 2007, to create an
integrated land and air ambulance
tion
system for the transport of
critically ill patients between
hospitals. Ornge’s history, scope of
practice and resources put us on a solid
footing to design and implement a
leading integrated land and air medical
transport system.
By creating an integrated land and air
medical transport system for critically ill
or injured patients, Ornge will provide
inter-facility transport for these patients.
Additional benefits may include:
• Relieving pressure on land ambulance
services allowing them to focus on
911 emergency calls
• Reducing the need for hospitals to
provide escort staff for critical care
patient transfers
• Enabling Ornge to increase aeromedical
availability for outlying rural
and remote areas.
Critical Care Land Transport Program
The new service areas are based on
volume of transfers and greatest
potential to reduce response times.
Initial implementation was in the
Ottawa area and began operations on
January 14, 2008 with additional
communities to follow.
In order to become fully operational,
and because there are no existing land
based critical care paramedics in
Ontario municipalities (with the
exception of Toronto), Ornge will use
its recruitment and education
resources to hire and train paramedics
to deliver care to patients within this
integrated system. The Ornge
Academy of Transport Medicine will
be providing any necessary training
for Ornge paramedics who will be
working on the critical care land
vehicles. Ornge currently provides
training for advanced care and critical
care flight paramedics and will be
drawing on this expertise to provide
necessary training.
‘‘
Paula Thorburn
– Teepee Island (Kenora)
Our sincerest thank you for
the wonderful job of getting
me to the hospital before
Christmas. I do not know
what we had in our minds
about this health service but
you definitely surpassed
anything we could have
imagined. You were
competent, efficient, and
made us feel confident that
everything was going to be
just fine. It is a great
comfort to know that this
amazing service is not only
available on paper but, in
fact, a reality.
Addition of fixed wing aircraft based in Thunder Bay
represents increased access to emergency services
for patients in Northwestern Ontario
In early 2007, the provincial government
provided start-up funding allowing
Ornge to acquire specialized health care
equipment for the eventual addition of
a fixed wing aircraft to be based in
Thunder Bay.
Northwestern Ontario had been identified
as a region in need of Stand-Alone
Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
(Angioplasty) services. One of the
challenges the region faced to the
provision of this service was distance. The
distance between Thunder Bay Regional
Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) and
necessary cardiac surgical services
highlighted the need for increased fixed
wing resources for the region.
Patients who experience problems while
undergoing angioplasty treatment may
require medical intervention very soon
after the onset of an emergency. For these
patients timely intervention can mean the
difference between life and death. The
challenges of distance mean that the most
viable option for these patients is transport
on a fixed wing aircraft.
In October 2007, a new fixed wing aircraft
was ready and waiting at the Ornge
Thunder Bay base while the regions first
angioplasty patients received treatment at
TBRHSC.
With an existing rotor wing aircraft already
located in Thunder Bay the addition of a
fixed wing aircraft will result in increased
access to health care services for the
regions’ patients. Each type of aircraft has
unique capabilities. While rotor wing
aircraft can attend more easily to the scene
of an accident, a fixed wing aircraft is faster
with greater range. It can operate under
more severe weather conditions resulting in
greater access for more patients.
For many residents of
Northwestern Ontario,
Ornge provides the
quickest access to the
medical care they need,
when they need it.

‘‘
On behalf of Warden
Gerow and CAO Gary
King I want to thank-you
very much for attending
in Peterborough today
and providing a great
presentation regarding
the administration and
operation of ORNGE. It
was encouraging to see
the participation of area
stakeholders and I hope
that your group also
gleaned some information
from us to take
back to your various
committees. It is certainly
our desire to work together
to enhance and
broaden the current
practice of transporting
our sick and injured.
Robert English,
Director
– Peterborough
County/City EMS’’
Collaboration
Stakeholder Relations Program
rnge’s stakeholders are
diverse and encompass
individuals or groups
who could be impacted
by our organization or
who could, through
their actions, have an
impact on our
rganization.
Ornge has conducted over 80 stakeholder
engagements this past year, including:
community outreach events; face-to-face
meetings; information sessions and
presentations; and teleconferences and
videoconferences. Some of the objectives of
these engagements were to: provide
information and build awareness about
Ornge; understand and address stakeholder
issues and challenges; receive input and
feedback about Ornge services; open lines
of communications between Ornge and
stakeholders; and develop and nurture
collaborative relationships.
Ornge’s Stakeholder Relations Program
reflects the organization’s vision, mission
and values. It recognizes the importance of
open, honest communication that cultivates
trust and develops long-term relationships.
Ornge is committed to building positive
collaborative relationships with all its stakeholders.
Each stakeholder engagement aims
to foster constructive dialogue and positive
results. We work with stakeholders in
understanding their issues and challenges
and respond appropriately to their concerns.
We take the needs and concerns of all our
stakeholders into consideration when
making decisions on the company’s behalf. In
compassionately listening to the needs of our
stakeholders we are better able to fulfill our
mission of patient care through innovative
transport medicine. Stakeholders will be
provided with clear, timely and accurate
information regarding new developments
and initiatives. Through communication, consultation
and collaboration, Ornge develops
valuable relationships with its stakeholders.
As a multi-faceted and cross disciplinary
organization, Ornge respects the diverse
cultures and beliefs among all its stakeholders.
Each stakeholder is appreciated for
their insight and encouraged to provide
input/feedback on our activities. This
feedback is used to drive continuous
improvements in delivering Ornge services.
In alliance with our
stakeholders, we will
succeed in our vision
of propelling life with
innovation.
EMAT
deployment to Sudbury
provides support during crisis caused by
fire at Sudbury Regional Hospital
The Emergency Medical Assistance
Team (EMAT) was established in
January 2004 by the provincial
government as part of its
commitment to help support the healthcare
system during the occurrence of infectious
disease outbreaks or other health
emergencies. The EMAT, operated by
Ornge, is a mobile medical field unit that
can be on site anywhere in Ontario with
road access within 24 hours of deployment
by the provincial Ministry of Health and
Long Term Care’s Emergency Management
Unit.
On June 6th 2007 at 7:00pm Ornge
received word from the provincial Ministry
of Health that the EMAT was being
deployed for the second time since its
creation. A fire had occurred in a groundfloor
area under the emergency department
at the St. Joseph’s Health Centre site of the
Sudbury Regional Hospital forcing the
evacuation of dozens of patients.
This second deployment included a
volunteer staff of 56, consisting of doctors,
nurses, critical care paramedics, x-ray
technicians, and administrative personnel.
In less than 14 hours after deployment to
Sudbury the EMAT team was able to admit
and treat its first patient. Coordinating with
the hospital, the team was able to treat
patients who were admitted through the
Memorial site of the Sudbury Regional
Hospital.
The patients treated varied, some were
quite critical, requiring ventilators to assist
with breathing, while others were suffering
from a variety of medical conditions
including broken bones or stomach
ailments. The scene was that of a typical
hospital emergency room. In addition to
setting up temporary facilities, the team
also included the installation of a temporary
helipad to facilitate patient transfers if it
became necessary.
The EMAT team was at the Sudbury
Hospital assisting the local staff and
residents for a total of 86 hours. During this
time they treated and repatriated 23
patients that were admitted to the EMAT,
and assisted with the transport of 17
intensive care patients.
Emergency Response
Teams tested at one of the
largest disaster exercises in
Canadian history.
The site of the former Constellation Hotel in
Toronto was the site of one of the largest
disaster exercises ever to take place in
Canada. From November 22nd to
November 24th, the vacant hotel became
an office tower which sustained a simulated
bomb blast. The exercise saw the
Emergency Medical Assistance Team
(EMAT), which is operated by Ornge joined
by teams from across the country.
Participants included HUSAR (heavy urban
search and rescue) teams from Calgary,
Manitoba, Toronto and Halifax as well as
the newly formed federal NOHERT (national
office of health emergency response teams).
EMAT was ready and able to accept patients
within two hours of being deployed.
Exercise observers were impressed with the
ability of the EMAT team to treat patients
and when necessary, conduct mock
transfers of the patients in real time. The
exercise was also the first time EMAT
exercised in a scenario that lasted longer
than a full 24 hour cycle.
‘‘
On behalf of the Board and Administration of the St. Joseph’s Health Centre, I would like to offer my sincere and heartfelt gratitude
for your assistance during the fire on June 6th and the days that followed. The devotion and perseverance shown by everyone involved
’’
is highly admirable and appreciated by all. The entire crisis from the beginning to the end was handled in an outstanding manner.
Jo-Anne Palkovits, President and CEO
– St. Joseph’s Health Centre Sudbury

New organization will focus on risk management, with an
emphasis on injury prevention
Ornge Communications Centre moves into
and develops innovative software
state of the art facility
As Ontario’s provider of aero-medical
transport Ornge has a unique
understanding of trauma, and an
appreciation for the positive role
of health promotion and the prevention of
injury. In October of 2007 Ornge launched a
new organization called J Smarts.
J Smarts is dedicated to educating and
fostering youth leadership and risk
mitigation through an experiential learning
environment.
Unlike other programs J Smarts is unique because
it will tap into youth culture and extreme
sports as a platform to educate youth
on risk mitigation. Rather than telling youth
not to participate in the activities they enjoy
J Smarts will embrace youth culture and
hopefully provide the tools youth need to
participate in the sports they love while they
push their physical limits.
– J Smarts hopes to encourage youth to think it thru
to reduce injuries in “action sports”
In a presentation to more than 500 students
at Toronto’s Michael Power/St. Joseph High
School, Dr. Christopher Mazza, president and
CEO of Ornge was joined by four-time
Olympian Brian Stemmle to reveal the new
logo and mandate of J Smarts.
By getting young people
to think it thru, J Smarts
will promote the health,
wellness and safety of
youth in a program that
accepts independence
and the need to take risk.
As a new organization J Smarts is working
closely with Muskoka Woods, an organization
with over 30 years’ experience as a
sports camp for young people to develop a
pilot program that seeks to engage young
people and provide them with the tools and
experiences they need to make their own
choices.
‘‘
A near death experience like
mine helps show that it’s how
we participate in sports that
’’
can change our lives
Brian Stemmle
– Four-time Canadian
Olympian
The J Smarts day program under development
is to be piloted in the summer of 2008
and will include a variety of sport experiences
designed to highlight the principles taught in
the core curriculum.
Founded in 1994, the communications centre began as the
Medical Air Transport Centre (MATC) which planned and directed
aero medical transports and organ retrieval flights for the
Province of Ontario. Once overseen by the Ministry of Health and
Long Term Care the responsibility for the operation of the centre
was transferred to Ornge in 2006. Ornge was already operating
the Provincial Transfer Authorization Centre (PTAC) which
screened all patient transfers from one facility to another.
In early 2007 the two groups moved into
a new state of the art communications
centre, providing a bright work environment
with abundant natural light and
making the Ornge Communications Centre
(OCC) the single point of contact. The OCC
now encompassed not only the planning and
directing of aero medical transports and
organ retrieval flights but also screening and
authorizing the transfer of more
than 370,000 patients each year.
In keeping with the Ornge spirit of
innovation, the OCC developed and created
a new software system called the Ornge
Patient Transfer Incident and Medical
Algorithmic System (OPTIMAS). This first of
its kind software brings together medical and
transport data system and is an evolution of
the software that PTAC had been using to
replace fax machines.
The web-based OPTIMAS system also
enables OCC staff to work remotely,
ensuring that patient care would continue in
the event of an emergency preventing entry
to the communications centre itself. This
system was tested twice with resumption of
full web access in eight minutes, the
utilization of a cascading cell phone system
ensured that no phone calls were missed
during the evacuations. For hospitals, the
OPTIMAS system will over time be developed
to ascertain the right vehicle and the right
crew needed to perform the transfer of their
patient.
The OPTIMAS software also makes it possible
for the OCC to provide Ornge paramedics
with electronic patient data, which in turns
provides the medics with important detailed
information required before they arrive on
the scene. This innovation was of interest to
the Commission on Accreditation of Medical
Transport Systems.

Building tomorrow’s leaders today
Ornge is committed to attracting and developing the right talent
In 2007, the Ornge Leadership Academy
saw its first 18 participants complete a 3
week, residential leadership development
program over the course of 10 months.
These participants were Ornge employees
from each of the departments representing a
cross-section of areas. The program was
developed and facilitated in house through
Organizational Development to help
participants refine and further develop the
range of skills that they require as a manager
and leader at Ornge. The goal of the
Leadership Academy is to develop a strong
leadership team that can then work both
individually and collaboratively to build an
operationally excellent high performance
culture within their work areas as well as
across functions.
The Leadership Academy
was designed around
three key themes each
corresponding to one of
the residential weeks -
Leading Self, Leading
Others, and Leading
within.
Program delivery in the Ornge Leadership
Academy follows the premise of most
business schools that no single method of
teaching is ideal under all circumstances and
for all people. Each week had a focus and
used a variety of teaching methodologies
such as lectures, case studies, simulations
and small and large group discussions.
Content experts were brought in as required.
In addition to the residential component,
participants were assigned to a coaching
group facilitated by a member of the
Executive Team. The purpose of the coaching
groups is to support the integration of
participant learnings into practice; to assist
participants with the transference of their
learnings into the workplace; and to mentor
and coach participants in achieving their
leadership development objectives.
The Ornge Leadership Academy is an integral
component of the Succession Management
process providing formal and informal
leaders with the core leadership skills
required to cultivate an innovation-driven,
accountability-based high performance
culture and the opportunity to explore their
leadership potential within Ornge.
‘‘
We would like to thank the
many people involved in the
successful movement of our
patient from Sensenbrenner
Hospital. Thank you to the
communications staff, Dr.
Yen Chow, Sensenbrenner
ICU nurses and anesthesia,
Kapuskasing and Sudbury
paramedics, Air Bravo pilots
and flight paramedics. It is
impressive to see the varying
levels of medicine coming
together as a team to
achieve a common goal. As
a team we all proved to be
very effective, a great job to
everyone involved and many
thanks.
’’
Sean Teed, Ornge Critical
Care Flight Paramedic &
Dave O’Saughnessy,
Ornge Critical Care Flight
Paramedic
– Timmins
‘‘
memorable call happened on my first
My first day. Everyone remembers
their first MCI, their first Defib call,
their first CPR on a trauma patient.
After a while all those calls melt
together in your memories…My most
day. A 43 year old man went to the
Moosonee clinic complaining of a bad
belly ache, telling the nurse “It must
have been something I ate last night”.
Soon after the nurse began his
assessment he required defibrillation.
The nurse shocked him and began the
process of transferring this patient to a
catheter lab – I was a primary care
medic learning the ropes. My
advanced care paramedic partner and
I arrived at the clinic to begin
assessments and transport of this
gentleman to Sudbury for the
treatment he needed. I remember the
look on his wife’s face when she asked
if he would make it to Sudbury. She
thought she was a worrywart for
taking him to the clinic with a belly
ache. I explained to her that that was
the decision that saved his life. At that
moment the worry seemed to leave
her face as she turned her attention to
arranging a babysitter so she would
be by her husband’s side.”
The “River Hop” is a term used to
refer to the short transport time
between the Moosonee Airport and
Weeneebayko General Hospital on
Moose Factory Island. Some times
these transports are for complicated
patients that require full assessments
and medication treatments. Other
times it is for chronic patients that live
at home in Moosonee and have to
attend the hospital for specialist
appointments or X Rays. These
transports require our stretcher
because the patients have mobility
challenges. These “regular” patients
can name all the pilots and medics
and asked to be introduced to any
new staff. Sometimes I see one of
these regulars in town and she asks if
there are any new people out at the
base. I tell her there are but that I
don’t want her to meet them –
because as long as she doesn’t meet
’’
them it means she’s healthy.
Ronda Shewan,
Primary Care Flight Paramedic
– Moosonee
Ornge negotiates first
contract with Ornge
Communications Centre staff represented by
the Ontario Public Service Employees Union
The operation of the Ornge
Communications Centre was
transferred from the Ministry of
Health and Long Term Care to
Ornge in 2006. Employees working in the
communications centre prior to the
integration were represented by the Ontario
Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU).
In June of 2007 Ornge began the
negotiation process with OPSEU with the
hopes of repeating the prior success of a first
agreement with members of the CAW,
which represents Ornge flight paramedics.
After three months of negotiations Ornge
and the representatives from OPSEU had
reached their first collective agreement on
behalf of the organization’s 70
communication centre staff. The only thing
remaining was a ratification vote from the
members of OPSEU.
On the evening of September 6 th 2007 the
OPSEU members voted and approved the
negotiated three year contract which will
expire on January 2, 2010. This second
negotiated contract included wage
increases in each year of the agreement
as well as a comprehensive professional
education program.
“I am delighted with this
historic first agreement
these individuals play a
daily role in helping
Ornge deliver innovative
patient-centric care.”
Rhoda Beecher
– Vice President
Organizational
Development

The Ornge Pulse Awards
2007 was the inaugural year of the Ornge Pulse Awards, a peerto-peer
employee awards program designed to reinforce what
Ornge is all about and highlights its uniqueness. The awards
program celebrates an innovation-driven, accountability-based
workplace that is focused on treating patients and their families
with compassion.
Open to all Ornge employees the
awards are based on an individual
or team demonstration of Ornge
core values:
Compassion
demonstrated identification with
patient care and service
Collaboration
working together internally and
externally to deliver on the promise
Innovation
steadfast commitment to advancing
the frontiers of transport medicine
There is also an additional award, the
Mike Roach Award
named after an S76 captain who passed
away before his time, which is specific to
front-line staff and external partners.
Spirit of Compassion
Compassion is fundamental in health care.
The Spirit of Compassion Award recognizes
an individual who exemplifies compassion to
an extraordinary degree and works to extend
this value as broadly as possible. It is presented
to an employee who demonstrates
a humanitarian approach in all their relationships
at work and in the community every
day, elevates the self-worth of others
through kindness and support, celebrates
Ontario’s cultural diversity and demonstrates
an appreciation of the contribution of others.
The 2007 Spirit of Compassion Award
was presented to Judy Rybar
Judy embodies a humanistic approach to
dealing with issues and has taken on a
motherly role at the Ornge Thunder Bay
base. She takes the time to get to know all
her colleagues including contractual staff,
recognizing the efforts of her peers and even
organizing social related events. Judy truly
respects all cultures for their uniqueness
and contributions to the people of Ontario.
Pictured from Left to Right – Dr. Chris Mazza, Judy Rybar, Gillian Danby,
Rhoda Beecher
Strength of Collaboration
The Strength of Collaboration Award
honours Ornge employees (individual and
teams) who in partnership with other Ornge
and partner-company employees consistently
collaborate with other departments and
demonstrate a passion for cooperation while
seeking results.
The 2007 Individual Strength of Collaboration
Award was presented to Jean Hull
In her role as Administrative Assistant to the
Vice President of Operations and the Vice
President of Organizational Development
Jean ensures that both these important
departments are running effectively and
efficiently. She often requires information
from a number of other departments to
ensure she has all the information she
needs to do her job. Although her day is
often hectic, she always takes the time to
help out when others need a hand.
Pictured from Left to Right – Dr. Chris Mazza, Jean Hull, Gillian Danby,
Rhoda Beecher
The 2007 Team Strength of Collaboration
Award was presented to Ornge
Communications Centre (OCC) and
Medics: Kim Darroch, Ed Hynes, Brian
Leo, Adam Pitsinigas, Roger Graveline,
Henry Gregoris, Elizabeth Lichacz, Dave
Signoretti, Robert Bird, John Wismer and
Dan Robillard.
The paramedics from the Sudbury base were
dispatched to a scene in Algonquin Park with
limited daylight remaining. Because of the
location the medical crew had to exit the
helicopter near an island and canoe across
a river to assume resuscitative efforts.
Although resuscitative efforts were
unsuccessful, the medical crew remained on
the island with the patient and family for
over five hours until a rescue helicopter
dispatched from Trenton Joint Rescue
Coordination Centre (JRCC) could extract
them. During this time the OCC staff
maintained communication with the medical
crew every 20 minutes to ensure their safety

The Ornge Pulse Awards
Board of Directors
Rainer Beltzner, FCA, FCMC, ICD.D
Chair, Board of Directors
Chair, Operations Committee
Dr. Christopher Mazza,
MD FRCPC, MBA
Barry Pickford, FCA
Chair, Finance and Audit Committee
Luis Navas, HBA MBA
Chair, Governance and
Compensation Committee
Dr. Robert Lester, MD FRCP(C)
Lorne Crawford, B.Sc.F.
Bethann Colle, B.Com
Pictured from Left to Right – Ed Hynes, Dr. Chris Mazza, Dan Robillard,
Rob Bird, Dave Signoretti, John Wismer, Rhoda Beecher, Gillian Danby.
Not photographed: Kim Darroch, Brian Leo, Adam Pitsinigas,
Roger Graveline, Henry Gregoris, Elizabeth Lichacz.
Pictured from Left to Right – Dr. Chris Mazza, Lisa-Marie Cooper,
Gillian Danby, Rhoda Beecher
Pictured from Left to Right – Sean Teed, Dr. Chris Mazza, Gillian Danby,
Rhoda Beecher
Donald Lowe, B.A.Sc. M.A.Sc.
while organizing their extrication with OPP,
North Bay Ambulance Communications, the
Regional Coroner and Trenton JRCC
demonstrating team strength of
Collaboration.
Art of Innovation
The Art of Innovation Award recognizes an
employee who consistently demonstrates
resourcefulness when faced with difficult
situations; approaches all situations with
creativity, continually looks for inspiration
and, in so doing inspires others and shows
originality in their solutions to challenges.
The Art of Innovation Award was
presented to Lisa-Marie Cooper
A self taught computer programmer who
with very little assistance from experts
created a new program, Ornge Provincial
Transport Information and Medical
Algorithmic System (OPTIMAS) currently
being utilized by the OCC. She persisted
through months of development, training,
testing and initial problems with the software
as it was being introduced into the live
environment. Lisa-Marie would not quit
until the job was finished wanting to provide
better patient care through innovation. Her
passion for the Ornge mission and vision set
her apart from others. When faced with a
challenge, rather than say “impossible” Lisa-
Marie tends to say “here are some options”
making her a true innovator.
Mike Roach
Each year the Mike Roach Award is
presented in recognition and memory of
Mike’s service to transport medicine, to the
health care community and to the citizens of
Ontario. The award is presented to any flight
medical crew, pilots, engineer or OCC
communications officer who in the opinion
of their peers promotes the services of
transport medicine, demonstrates dedication
to excellence and professionalism in the field,
promotes the sharing of ideas for continuous
learning, and brings enthusiasm, humour
and a passion for teamwork to the
workplace.
The 2007 Mike Roach Award was
presented to Sean Teed
In addition to his work as a Critical Care
Flight Paramedic at the Ornge Timmins base,
Sean found the time to be an instructor with
the Red Cross, develop, train and implement
a medical/prevention team for the National
Adventure Racing Championships held in
Timmins, visit local day care centres to teach
the importance of 911, visit local high
schools to discuss his profession and was
recognized as “Volunteer of the Week”
by the Timmins Daily Press. He continually
strives to better his work environment for
the patient and has proposed updated
equipment and research to improve transport
medicine. Sean is the personification
of Ornge values and innovative patient care.
‘‘
Congratulations and a tip of the hat to the dedicated men and women
who are the Ornge Sioux Lookout base. This base completed an
incredible 825 calls in 2007. It is important to remember that this was
accomplished with one aircraft working 24 hours per day. These Ornge
’’
medics personify the Ornge mission statement and values.
Ron Laverty, Critical Care Flight Paramedic
– Sioux Lookout

Ornge
20 Carlson Court, Suite 400
Toronto, Ontario M9W 7K6
Tel: 1 800 251 6543 or 1 647 428 2005
Fax: 1 647 428 2006
www.ornge.ca