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UVic Overdose Inquest Highlights Emergency Dispatch Software Gaps

Jurors press Priority Dispatch creator on rigid protocols that delayed life-saving treatment in Sidney McIntyre-Starko’s 2024 fentanyl overdose.

Sidney McIntyre-Starko at her Grade 12 graduation in 2023.
B.C. residents who want free naloxone to reverse overdoses can only get the hard-to-use needle format. Other provinces fund more simple nasal spray, which advoates say would save more lives here. Photos courtesy: SidneyShouldBeHere.ca
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Sidney McIntyre-Starko was an avid dancer. Photo courtesy Sidney's family

Overview

  • Sidney McIntyre-Starko died of oxygen deprivation after a fentanyl overdose, with naloxone and CPR delayed by 13 and 15 minutes, respectively.
  • Jurors questioned Dr. Jeff Clawson, creator of the Priority Dispatch system, on software restrictions that prevented call-takers from asking about drug involvement.
  • The software's seizure protocol misdirected the emergency response, as rigid prompts failed to address suspected overdoses or multiple-patient scenarios effectively.
  • Dr. Clawson acknowledged the need for changes, including prompts for suspected overdoses and improvements to breathing tests, but stated no formal proposals have been submitted by users.
  • An arm’s length report recommended loosening dispatch requirements from confirmed to suspected overdoses to expedite treatment, a proposal currently under review.