Medical Emergency Response (IMED). It is funded and mandated by the Canadian government. The IMED program is a joint Canada/United States program initiated by both countries in 2002 to provide emergency medical services to their respective citizens traveling in one country to the other. It works by allowing trained EMTs/Paramedics to cross borders with basic medical kits and protocols for a variety of medical emergencies. Emergency personnel, such as paramedics and nurses, are able to cross international borders for up to 24 hours with this program. History Since the IMED program was founded, there have been an abundance of people using it, yet not many people know about it. Therefore, the program is mostly unknown, and many emergency organizations in the United States have been using this program to help their patients. Also, there is only a little bit of information about the IMED program's history. In fact, this was put into effect just because more countries have started allowing their citizens to travel to different countries with visas. Therefore, it became necessary to create an organization in order for them to transport emergency patients back to their country with the help of trained staff. Since this program has been going on, the process for transporting emergency patients has become much smoother and quicker. As the program has been more accepted, many more people have been using it, and this has made more patients get to their countries with minimal or no issues. Now, with an increase in countries that have been adopting the IMED program, the use of this program has steadily grown every year. Advantages With all the advantages and benefits of the IMED program, it has saved many lives. The program helps people who need emergency help with their health, yet they are unable to cross back into their own country because of being in another country. If there was no IMED program, many of these patients may have died, or be taken to a hospital for many hours before emergency help could reach them. The IMED program has become a vital factor in the well being of many patients, which has increased the quality of life for them. Injury and disease IMED has helped many patients by providing emergency medical care, with many of the patient's survival. It helps for acute medical emergencies, such as cardiac arrest, acute stroke, injury, and other life-threatening illnesses. Also, there have been some patients who have gone through this program and did not need to be sent to the hospital. Some examples include someone who could have used it for severe asthma attacks, and someone who could have been suffering from severe bronchitis. Countries IMED has helped people cross over the border to different countries that have had agreements made with the Canadian government, or other countries that have a similar program as it. This program helps to help patients who are traveling to another country that might be in need of their help. However, if the patients want to enter into a different country, they should check with that country's medical personnel to make sure the IMED program applies there as well. On some occasions, patients in the United States or Canada have been found to have had an expired health card, and were not eligible for this program. For this reason, it is vital that any patient who may be eligible for the IMED program have a current health card and up-to-date immunizations. Risks The IMED program does have its risks, with patients trying to leave the country for emergencies. The program should only be used for emergencies, as it is not suitable to take people out of the country if they do not need it, as this can cause harm to that patient and make them feel helpless. Also, it is illegal to use the program to simply leave a country. Some people have tried taking their patients out of the country with plans to never return to the country of their origin, but this has never been done. The patient's wellbeing is always the most important when traveling to other countries, therefore, patients should not travel if they do not need the help, as it can put a strain on their bodies and make them suffer. Emergency situations IMED helps people who need emergency health care, and have been in need of it for quite a long time. This program has been able to keep a lot of people alive, with many other cases being close to death. There are a lot of medical emergencies that people have been given a chance of survival with the IMED program. Some examples are trauma patients who have suffered from severe trauma, and need help right away. There are many situations where the IMED program is useful, as it can prevent major consequences and make people a lot more comfortable. References Category:Emergency services in Canada Category:2002 establishments in Canada Category:Medical and health organizations based in Canada Category:International organizations based in Canada