Alberta EMS-811 shared response line curbing unnecessary ambulance call outs: province
Posted August 6, 2025 8:59 am.
Alberta is touting the success of its non-emergency health line in relieving pressure on the health care system.
The EMS-811 Shared Response Line was created two years ago, giving Albertans an alternative to 911 when they need health advice and aren’t sure what to do.
Since 2023, Primary Care Alberta says 50,000 non-emergency calls requesting an ambulance have been made to the line.
Calls made to 811 are assessed using guidelines to determine whether or not an ambulance is needed.
If the call doesn’t meet the criteria to dispatch an ambulance, the caller is connected to a registered nurse via Health Link.
The province says this helps avoid unnecessary ambulance responses and visits to the emergency department.
Among those transferred to an 911 nurse, about one-quarter were advised to care for themselves at home and about one-third were advised to see a family doctor.
Many other callers were directed to community-based healthcare services and resources, including dentists, pharmacists, and public health nurses.
