Education and Training

Rick Maharaj currently works as a paramedic in a large urban EMS (Paramedic) service and has been practicing in this capacity for the past 10 years. During this time, he had the opportunity to expand his theoretical and practical experience to health management, medical education and health research. Rick found that health service research, particularly research that impacts paramedic practice, was particularly appealing to him.

Projects

Alternative pathways of care for EMS transport of mental health patients.

Research Interests and Expertise

Rick is currently exploring alternative pathways of care for patients who present to EMS with uncomplicated mental health complaints. The demand for emergency mental health care is on the rise. This impacts both emergency department staff and front line health care staff such as EMS. Many mental health patients utilize EMS as a point of entry into the health care system. EMS therefore, can play a major role in navigating these patients directly towards the resources they require. The result of this may be better patient outcomes while simultaneously relieving some demand on the emergency department. Rick is hopeful that his research will change paramedic practice when dealing with mental health patients to this end.