The assessment of the need for care conducted by EMS will determine the follow-up treatment of the patient. If the patient needs further treatment and observation of their status during the journey, they will be transported by ambulance to the appropriate premises for further care.
Transportation codes and occupancy classes
Each unit must keep the emergency response centre informed of their transportation code and rate of occupancy. The transportation code is logged to facilitate quality management and procedure development between the emergency response centre and EMS. The transportation code is derived from either the primary symptom of acute illness or the event or occasion seen to be the cause of the accident or injury. Knowing each unit’s occupancy class allows the emergency response centre to prioritize units between overlapping assignments.
| Occupancy class A | The patient’s status is unstable despite emergency treatment and the patient requires continuous monitoring and rapid transportation to hospital care. The EMS unit is unavailable for any other assignment. |
| Occupancy class B | The patient requires rapid transportation to hospital care, with their basic vital functions disrupted enough to pose a risk. In some special cases, the EMS unit may be employed to check on a high-risk dispatch on their transportation route, with one of the emergency nurses stopping to inspect the situation. However, the unit cannot assume responsibility of care for another dispatch. |
| Occupancy class C | The patient is stable, but requires monitoring. The unit can be dispatched to A or B class calls if it is the nearest / most appropriate unit for the task. |
| Occupancy class D | The patient is stable and does not require ongoing monitoring. The unit can be dispatched to A or B class calls, and the patient being transported may stay alone in the MS unit to wait if required. |