Community paramedicine: Framework for program development

1.1
This Standard provides a framework for the planning, implementation and evaluation of a community paramedicine program, hereinafter referred to as the program. The purpose of this Standard is to provide guidance to fully understand the context, key considerations and essential elements for community paramedicine program development. The Standard provides a systematic approach for policy makers, paramedic services and their partners intending to establish a community paramedicine program. The framework provides a practical guide and describes the participatory, evidenced-based, patient-centred process for establishing a practice role and new model of care. 

1.2
This Standard includes the following elements of a program development framework See Figure 1: 

a) guiding principles; 
b) competency, education, and training; 
c) models of care; 
d) planning, including

i) identifying partners; 
ii) community and stakeholder engagement; 
iii) community needs and service gap assessment; and 
iv) communications;

e) implementation; and 
f) evaluation and continuous improvement. 

1.3
This Standard is not intended to provide the full requirements of a management system standard. It may be used in conjunction with a management system, or on its own in the absence of a formal management system. 

1.4
This Standard does not provide detailed scope of practice or protocols for the full range of services provided by programs. It is recognized that the regulation of services and personnel cross a number of regulatory authorities including federal, provincial/territorial, regional, and local boundaries. All services and personnel should ensure that they meet the requirements of the various regulatory bodies and authorities having jurisdiction. 

1.5
In this Standard, shall is used to express a requirement, i.e., a provision that the user is obliged to satisfy in order to comply with the standard; should is used to express a recommendation or that which is advised but not required; and may is used to express an option or that which is permissible within the limits of the Standard. 

Notes accompanying clauses do not include requirements or alternative requirements; the purpose of a note accompanying a clause is to separate from the text explanatory or informative material. 

Notes to tables and figures are considered part of the table or figure and may be written as requirements. 

Annexes are designated normative (mandatory) or informative (non-mandatory) to define their application.