Renfrew County Virtual Triage and Assessment Centre recognizes 1,000 days

For 1,000 days and nights, and counting, Renfrew County Virtual Triage and Assessment Centre (RCVTAC) has made a remarkable impact serving our community. As a “made-in-Renfrew County” innovative solution, RCVTAC was created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Similar to the community paramedic program launched by the Renfrew County Paramedic Service that began as a pilot project, RCVTAC has gone on to serve as a model of pro-active primary health care in Renfrew County, the RCVTAC was designed to assess and respond to the needs of the residents in a rural setting.

Both programs are solutions that are not unique to the Ottawa Valley, but they are models designed to meet the challenges of providing care in a remote setting.

Among those challengers are vast geographical regions making it difficult for both paramedics and medical personnel to access patients requiring immediate attention; limited medical staff due to a wave of retirements and younger professionals tend to often choose an urban centre over a rural setting to pursue a career; less available hospitals or medical centres compared to an urban setting and an aging population that was accustomed to easy access to a doctor or hospital.

One of the few positive results of the COVID pandemic that plagued Canada from early 2020 until the early months of 2022 was the creation and evolution of the RCVTAC to address the alarming doctor shortage in the Ottawa Valley.

Dr. Jonathan Fitzsimon, RCTVAC’s medical lead, said the physician shortage in Renfrew County became an even greater concern when COVID dominated all aspects of medical care.

“Over 70 per cent of people who get help from RCVTAC for an urgent health concern do not have a family doctor or alternative primary care provider, Dr. Fitzsimon said. “The incredible professionalism and dedication of our family doctors, paramedics, medical receptionists and administrative staff have provided a lifeline for families across Renfrew County and beyond.

Michael Nolan, chief of the County of Renfrew County Paramedic Service (CRPS) said RCVTAC ensures that everyone, especially those without a doctor, can access family doctors and community paramedics for urgent healthcare needs, including COVID-19 assessment, testing and treatment.

“RCVTAC strengthens timely access to integrated healthcare services for all residents for any non-emergency medical concerns they may have. It has been used by tens of thousands of residents, resulting in fewer calls to 9-1-1 and emergency department visits,” chief Nolan said. “That results in protecting these important resources for people experiencing a life-threatening emergency condition.”

RCVTAC began as a pilot project and the provincial government provided the initial funding to get the project off the ground in the hopes it could not only meet the needs of the immediate area, but ultimately serve as a model for other rural municipalities. 

The program is facilitated by the County of Renfrew and recently acclaimed Warden Peter Emon is actively advocating to secure long-term funding for the service.

“RCVTAC has emerged as a trusted tool for many and an essential component of ensuring the health of our family and friends in our community, Warden Emon said. “Managing our health is important to us but also to the strained health system. Continued investment in RCVTAC is a wise investment in improving our personal health and also an investment in improving the health of the healthcare system.”

Although the county of Renfrew is the largest county in Ontario, it has a relatively small population of less than 110,000, the region is widely recognized for its innovative approach to dealing with medical challenges.

The County of Renfrew was honoured with the Peter J. Marshall Innovation award last year by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario. The RCVTAC recently received the Community Impact Award from the Upper Ottawa Valley Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards Gala in September. The Paramedic Service was previously named Newsmakers of the Year by the Renfrew Mercury Newspaper, for its vital role in RCVTAC.

Dr. Fitzsimon was recognized by the Ontario Medical Association with the Glenn Sawyer Service Award for service to the medical profession at the community level for his leadership role at RCVTAC.

RCVTAC is a collaboration between family doctors, the County of Renfrew Paramedic Service, primary care teams, Renfrew County Hospitals and the Renfrew County and District Health Unit. Learn more at www.rcvtac.ca.