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Public Act 103-0547 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning regulation.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | ||||
represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems | ||||
Act is amended by changing Sections 3.20, 3.55, and 3.85 and by | ||||
adding Section 3.22 as follows:
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(210 ILCS 50/3.20)
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Sec. 3.20. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems. | ||||
(a) "Emergency Medical Services (EMS) System" means an
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organization of hospitals, vehicle service providers and
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personnel approved by the Department in a specific
geographic | ||||
area, which coordinates and provides pre-hospital
and | ||||
inter-hospital emergency care and non-emergency medical
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transports at a BLS, ILS and/or ALS level pursuant to a
System | ||||
program plan submitted to and approved by the
Department, and | ||||
pursuant to the EMS Region Plan adopted for
the EMS Region in | ||||
which the System is located. | ||||
(b) One hospital in each System program plan must be
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designated as the Resource Hospital. All other hospitals
which | ||||
are located within the geographic boundaries of a
System and | ||||
which have standby, basic or comprehensive level
emergency | ||||
departments must function in that EMS System as
either an | ||||
Associate Hospital or Participating Hospital and
follow all |
System policies specified in the System Program
Plan, | ||
including but not limited to the replacement of drugs
and | ||
equipment used by providers who have delivered patients
to | ||
their emergency departments. All hospitals and vehicle
service | ||
providers participating in an EMS System must
specify their | ||
level of participation in the System Program
Plan. | ||
(c) The Department shall have the authority and
| ||
responsibility to: | ||
(1) Approve BLS, ILS and ALS level EMS Systems which
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meet minimum standards and criteria established in rules
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adopted by the Department pursuant to this Act, including
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the submission of a Program Plan for Department approval.
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Beginning September 1, 1997, the Department shall approve
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the development of a new EMS System only when a local or
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regional need for establishing such System has been
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verified by the Department. This shall not be construed as | ||
a needs assessment for health
planning or
other purposes | ||
outside of this Act.
Following Department approval, EMS | ||
Systems must
be fully operational within one year from the | ||
date of
approval. | ||
(2) Monitor EMS Systems, based on minimum standards | ||
for
continuing operation as prescribed in rules adopted by | ||
the
Department pursuant to this Act, which shall include
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requirements for submitting Program Plan amendments to the
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Department for approval. | ||
(3) Renew EMS System approvals every 4 years, after
an |
inspection, based on compliance with the standards for
| ||
continuing operation prescribed in rules adopted by the
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Department pursuant to this Act. | ||
(4) Suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew approval of
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any EMS System, after providing an opportunity for a
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hearing, when findings show that it does not meet the
| ||
minimum standards for continuing operation as prescribed | ||
by
the Department, or is found to be in violation of its
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previously approved Program Plan. | ||
(5) Require each EMS System to adopt written protocols
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for the bypassing of or diversion to any hospital, trauma
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center or regional trauma center, which provide that a | ||
person
shall not be transported to a facility other than | ||
the nearest
hospital, regional trauma center or trauma | ||
center unless the
medical benefits to the patient | ||
reasonably expected from the
provision of appropriate | ||
medical treatment at a more distant
facility outweigh the | ||
increased risks to the patient from
transport to the more | ||
distant facility, or the transport is in
accordance with | ||
the System's protocols for patient
choice or refusal. | ||
(6) Require that the EMS Medical Director of an ILS or
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ALS level EMS System be a physician licensed to practice
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medicine in all of its branches in Illinois, and certified | ||
by
the American Board of Emergency Medicine or the | ||
American Osteopathic Board
of Emergency Medicine, and that | ||
the EMS Medical
Director of a BLS level EMS System be a |
physician licensed to
practice medicine in all of its | ||
branches in Illinois, with
regular and frequent | ||
involvement in pre-hospital emergency
medical services. In | ||
addition, all EMS Medical Directors shall: | ||
(A) Have experience on an EMS vehicle at the
| ||
highest level available within the System, or make | ||
provision
to gain such experience within 12 months | ||
prior to the
date responsibility for the System is | ||
assumed or within 90
days after assuming the position; | ||
(B) Be thoroughly knowledgeable of all skills
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included in the scope of practices of all levels of EMS
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personnel within the System; | ||
(C) Have or make provision to gain experience
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instructing students at a level similar to that of the | ||
levels
of EMS personnel within the System; and | ||
(D) For ILS and ALS EMS Medical Directors,
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successfully complete a Department-approved EMS | ||
Medical
Director's Course. | ||
(7) Prescribe statewide EMS data elements to be
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collected and documented by providers in all EMS Systems | ||
for
all emergency and non-emergency medical services, with | ||
a
one-year phase-in for commencing collection of such data
| ||
elements. | ||
(8) Define, through rules adopted pursuant to this | ||
Act,
the terms "Resource Hospital", "Associate Hospital",
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"Participating Hospital", "Basic Emergency Department",
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"Standby Emergency Department", "Comprehensive Emergency | ||
Department", "EMS
Medical Director", "EMS Administrative
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Director", and "EMS System Coordinator". | ||
(A) (Blank). | ||
(B) (Blank). | ||
(9) Investigate the
circumstances that caused a | ||
hospital
in an EMS system
to go on
bypass status to | ||
determine whether that hospital's decision to go on bypass
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status was reasonable. The Department may impose | ||
sanctions, as
set forth in Section 3.140 of the Act, upon a | ||
Department determination that the
hospital unreasonably
| ||
went on bypass status in violation of the Act. | ||
(10) Evaluate the capacity and performance of any | ||
freestanding emergency center established under Section | ||
32.5 of this Act in meeting emergency medical service | ||
needs of the public, including compliance with applicable | ||
emergency medical standards and assurance of the | ||
availability of and immediate access to the highest | ||
quality of medical care possible.
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(11) Permit limited EMS System participation by | ||
facilities operated by the United States Department of | ||
Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration. Subject | ||
to patient preference, Illinois EMS providers may | ||
transport patients to Veterans Health Administration | ||
facilities that voluntarily participate in an EMS System. | ||
Any Veterans Health Administration facility seeking |
limited participation in an EMS System shall agree to | ||
comply with all Department administrative rules | ||
implementing this Section. The Department may promulgate | ||
rules, including, but not limited to, the types of | ||
Veterans Health Administration facilities that may | ||
participate in an EMS System and the limitations of | ||
participation. | ||
(12) Ensure that EMS systems are transporting pregnant | ||
women to the appropriate facilities based on the | ||
classification of the levels of maternal care described | ||
under subsection (a) of Section 2310-223 of the Department | ||
of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil | ||
Administrative Code of Illinois. | ||
(13) Provide administrative support to the EMT | ||
Training, Recruitment, and Retention Task Force. | ||
(Source: P.A. 101-447, eff. 8-23-19.) | ||
(210 ILCS 50/3.22 new) | ||
Sec. 3.22. EMT Training, Recruitment, and Retention Task | ||
Force. | ||
(a) The EMT Training, Recruitment, and Retention Task | ||
Force is created to address the following: | ||
(1) the impact that the EMT and Paramedic shortage is | ||
having on this State's EMS System and health care system; | ||
(2) barriers to the training, recruitment, and | ||
retention of Emergency Medical Technicians throughout this |
State; | ||
(3) steps that the State of Illinois can take, | ||
including coordination and identification of State and | ||
federal funding sources, to assist Illinois high schools, | ||
community colleges, and ground ambulance providers to | ||
train, recruit, and retain emergency medical technicians; | ||
(4) the examination of current testing mechanisms for | ||
EMRs, EMTs, and Paramedics and the utilization of the | ||
National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, | ||
including current pass rates by licensure level, national | ||
utilization, and test preparation strategies; | ||
(5) how apprenticeship programs, local, regional, and | ||
statewide, can be utilized to recruit and retain EMRs, | ||
EMTs, and Paramedics; | ||
(6) how ground ambulance reimbursement affects the | ||
recruitment and retention of EMTs and Paramedics; and | ||
(7) all other areas that the Task Force deems | ||
necessary to examine and assist in the recruitment and | ||
retention of EMTs and Paramedics. | ||
(b) The Task Force shall be comprised of the following | ||
members: | ||
(1) one member of the Illinois General Assembly, | ||
appointed by the President of the Senate, who shall serve | ||
as co-chair; | ||
(2) one member of the Illinois General Assembly, | ||
appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; |
(3) one member of the Illinois General Assembly, | ||
appointed by the Senate Minority Leader; | ||
(4) one member of the Illinois General Assembly, | ||
appointed by the House Minority Leader, who shall serve as | ||
co-chair; | ||
(5) 9 members representing private ground ambulance | ||
providers throughout this State representing for-profit | ||
and non-profit rural and urban ground ambulance providers, | ||
appointed by the President of the Senate; | ||
(6) 3 members representing hospitals, appointed by the | ||
Speaker of the House of Representatives, with one member | ||
representing safety net hospitals and one member | ||
representing rural hospitals; | ||
(7) 3 members representing a statewide association of | ||
nursing homes, appointed by the President of the Senate; | ||
(8) one member representing the State Board of | ||
Education, appointed by the House Minority Leader; | ||
(9) 2 EMS Medical Directors from a Regional EMS | ||
Medical Directors Committee, appointed by the Governor; | ||
and | ||
(10) one member representing the Illinois Community | ||
College Systems, appointed by the Minority Leader of the | ||
Senate. | ||
(c) Members of the Task Force shall serve without | ||
compensation. | ||
(d) The Task Force shall convene at the call of the |
co-chairs and shall hold at least 6 meetings. | ||
(e) The Task Force shall submit its final report to the | ||
General Assembly and the Governor no later than January 1, | ||
2024, and upon the submission of its final report, the Task | ||
Force shall be dissolved.
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(210 ILCS 50/3.55)
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Sec. 3.55. Scope of practice.
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(a) Any person currently licensed as an EMR, EMT, EMT-I,
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A-EMT, PHRN, PHAPRN, PHPA, or Paramedic may perform emergency | ||
and non-emergency medical
services as defined in this Act, in | ||
accordance with his or her level of
education, training and | ||
licensure, the standards of
performance and conduct prescribed | ||
by the Department in
rules adopted pursuant to this Act, and | ||
the requirements of
the EMS System in which he or she | ||
practices, as contained in the
approved Program Plan for that | ||
System. The Director may, by written order, temporarily modify | ||
individual scopes of practice in response to public health | ||
emergencies for periods not exceeding 180 days.
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(a-5) EMS personnel who have successfully completed a | ||
Department approved
course in automated defibrillator | ||
operation and who are functioning within a
Department approved | ||
EMS System may utilize such automated defibrillator
according | ||
to the standards of performance and conduct prescribed by the
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Department
in rules adopted pursuant to this Act and the | ||
requirements of the EMS System in
which they practice, as |
contained in the approved Program Plan for that
System.
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(a-7) An EMT, EMT-I, A-EMT, PHRN, PHAPRN, PHPA, or | ||
Paramedic
who has successfully completed a Department approved | ||
course in the
administration of epinephrine shall be required | ||
to carry epinephrine
with him or her as part of the EMS | ||
personnel medical supplies whenever
he or she is performing | ||
official duties as determined by the EMS System. The | ||
epinephrine may be administered from a glass vial, | ||
auto-injector, ampule, or pre-filled syringe.
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(b) An EMR, EMT,
EMT-I, A-EMT, PHRN, PHAPRN, PHPA, or | ||
Paramedic may practice as an EMR, EMT, EMT-I, A-EMT, or | ||
Paramedic or utilize his or her EMR, EMT, EMT-I, A-EMT, PHRN, | ||
PHAPRN, PHPA, or Paramedic license
in pre-hospital or | ||
inter-hospital emergency care settings or
non-emergency | ||
medical transport situations, under the
written or verbal | ||
direction of the EMS Medical Director.
For purposes of this | ||
Section, a "pre-hospital emergency care
setting" may include a | ||
location, that is not a health care
facility, which utilizes | ||
EMS personnel to render pre-hospital
emergency care prior to | ||
the arrival of a transport vehicle.
The location shall include | ||
communication equipment and all
of the portable equipment and | ||
drugs appropriate for the EMR, EMT, EMT-I, A-EMT, or | ||
Paramedic's
level of care, as required by this Act, rules | ||
adopted
by the Department pursuant to this Act, and the | ||
protocols of
the EMS Systems, and shall operate only with the | ||
approval
and under the direction of the EMS Medical Director.
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This Section shall not prohibit an EMR, EMT, EMT-I, A-EMT, | ||
PHRN, PHAPRN, PHPA, or Paramedic
from practicing within an | ||
emergency department or
other health care setting for the | ||
purpose of receiving
continuing education or training approved | ||
by the EMS Medical
Director. This Section shall also not | ||
prohibit an EMT,
EMT-I, A-EMT, PHRN, PHAPRN, PHPA, or | ||
Paramedic from seeking credentials other than his or her EMT, | ||
EMT-I, A-EMT, PHRN, PHAPRN, PHPA, or Paramedic
license and | ||
utilizing such credentials to work in emergency
departments or | ||
other health care settings under the
jurisdiction of that | ||
employer.
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(c) An EMT,
EMT-I, A-EMT, PHRN, PHAPRN, PHPA, or Paramedic | ||
may honor Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders and powers
of | ||
attorney for health care only in accordance with rules
adopted | ||
by the Department pursuant to this Act and protocols
of the EMS | ||
System in which he or she practices.
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(d) A student enrolled in a Department approved EMS | ||
personnel
program, while fulfilling the
clinical training and | ||
in-field supervised experience
requirements mandated for | ||
licensure or approval by the
System and the Department, may | ||
perform prescribed procedures
under the direct supervision of | ||
a physician licensed to
practice medicine in all of its | ||
branches, a qualified
registered professional nurse, or | ||
qualified EMS personnel, only when
authorized by the EMS | ||
Medical Director.
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(e) An EMR, EMT, EMT-I, A-EMT, PHRN, PHAPRN, PHPA, or |
Paramedic may transport a police dog injured in the line of | ||
duty to a veterinary clinic or similar facility if there are no | ||
persons requiring medical attention or transport at that time. | ||
For the purposes of this subsection, "police dog" means a dog | ||
owned or used by a law enforcement department or agency in the | ||
course of the department or agency's work, including a search | ||
and rescue dog, service dog, accelerant detection canine, or | ||
other dog that is in use by a county, municipal, or State law | ||
enforcement agency. | ||
(f) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit an | ||
EMT, EMT-I, A-EMT, Paramedic, or PHRN from completing an | ||
initial Occupational Safety and Health Administration | ||
Respirator Medical Evaluation Questionnaire on behalf of fire | ||
service personnel, as permitted by his or her EMS System | ||
Medical Director. | ||
(g) An EMT, EMT-I, A-EMT, Paramedic, PHRN, PHAPRN, or PHPA | ||
shall be eligible to work for another EMS System for a period | ||
not to exceed 2 weeks if the individual is under the direct | ||
supervision of another licensed individual operating at the | ||
same or higher level as the EMT, EMT-I, A-EMT, Paramedic, | ||
PHRN, PHAPRN, or PHPA; obtained approval in writing from the | ||
EMS System's Medical Director; and tests into the EMS System | ||
based upon appropriate standards as outlined in the EMS System | ||
Program Plan. The EMS System within which the EMT, EMT-I, | ||
A-EMT, Paramedic, PHRN, PHAPRN, or PHPA is seeking to join | ||
must make all required testing available to the EMT, EMT-I, |
A-EMT, Paramedic, PHRN, PHAPRN, or PHPA within 2 weeks after | ||
the written request. Failure to do so by the EMS System shall | ||
allow the EMT, EMT-I, A-EMT, Paramedic, PHRN, PHAPRN, or PHPA | ||
to continue working for another EMS System until all required | ||
testing becomes available. | ||
(Source: P.A. 102-79, eff. 1-1-22 .)
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(210 ILCS 50/3.85)
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Sec. 3.85. Vehicle Service Providers.
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(a) "Vehicle Service Provider" means an entity
licensed by | ||
the Department to provide emergency or
non-emergency medical | ||
services in compliance with this Act,
the rules promulgated by | ||
the Department pursuant to this
Act, and an operational plan | ||
approved by its EMS System(s),
utilizing at least ambulances | ||
or specialized emergency
medical service vehicles (SEMSV).
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(1) "Ambulance" means any publicly or
privately owned | ||
on-road vehicle that is specifically designed,
constructed | ||
or modified and equipped, and is intended to be
used for, | ||
and is maintained or operated for the emergency
| ||
transportation of persons who are sick, injured, wounded | ||
or
otherwise incapacitated or helpless, or the | ||
non-emergency
medical transportation of persons who | ||
require the presence
of medical personnel to monitor the | ||
individual's condition
or medical apparatus being used on | ||
such individuals.
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(2) "Specialized Emergency Medical Services
Vehicle" |
or "SEMSV" means a vehicle or conveyance, other
than those | ||
owned or operated by the federal government, that
is | ||
primarily intended for use in transporting the sick or
| ||
injured by means of air, water, or ground transportation,
| ||
that is not an ambulance as defined in this Act. The term
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includes watercraft, aircraft and special purpose ground
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transport vehicles or conveyances not intended for use on
| ||
public roads.
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(3) An ambulance or SEMSV may also be
designated as a | ||
Limited Operation Vehicle or Special-Use Vehicle:
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(A) "Limited Operation Vehicle" means a
vehicle | ||
which is licensed by the Department to provide
basic, | ||
intermediate or advanced life support emergency or
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non-emergency medical services that are exclusively | ||
limited
to specific events or locales.
| ||
(B) "Special-Use Vehicle" means any
publicly or | ||
privately owned vehicle that is specifically designed,
| ||
constructed or modified and equipped, and is intended | ||
to be
used for, and is maintained or operated solely | ||
for the
emergency or non-emergency transportation of a | ||
specific
medical class or category of persons who are | ||
sick, injured,
wounded or otherwise incapacitated or | ||
helpless (e.g.
high-risk obstetrical patients, | ||
neonatal patients).
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(C) "Reserve Ambulance" means a vehicle that meets | ||
all criteria set forth in this Section and all |
Department rules, except for the required inventory of | ||
medical supplies and durable medical equipment, which | ||
may be rapidly transferred from a fully functional | ||
ambulance to a reserve ambulance without the use of | ||
tools or special mechanical expertise. | ||
(b) The Department shall have the authority and
| ||
responsibility to:
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(1) Require all Vehicle Service Providers, both
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publicly and privately owned, to function within an EMS
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System.
| ||
(2) Require a Vehicle Service Provider
utilizing | ||
ambulances to have a primary affiliation with an EMS | ||
System
within the EMS Region in which its Primary Service | ||
Area is
located, which is the geographic areas in which | ||
the provider
renders the majority of its emergency | ||
responses. This
requirement shall not apply to Vehicle | ||
Service Providers
which exclusively utilize Limited | ||
Operation Vehicles.
| ||
(3) Establish licensing standards and
requirements for | ||
Vehicle Service Providers, through rules
adopted pursuant | ||
to this Act, including but not limited to:
| ||
(A) Vehicle design, specification,
operation and | ||
maintenance standards, including standards for the use | ||
of reserve ambulances;
| ||
(B) Equipment requirements;
| ||
(C) Staffing requirements; and
|
(D) License renewal at intervals determined by the | ||
Department, which shall be not less than every 4 | ||
years. | ||
The Department's standards and requirements with | ||
respect to vehicle staffing for private, nonpublic local | ||
government employers must allow for alternative staffing | ||
models that include an EMR who
drives an ambulance with a | ||
licensed EMT, EMT-I, A-EMT,
Paramedic, or PHRN, as | ||
appropriate, in the patient
compartment providing care to | ||
the patient pursuant to the approval of the EMS System | ||
Program Plan developed and approved by the EMS Medical | ||
Director for an EMS System. The EMS personnel licensed at | ||
the highest level shall provide the initial assessment of | ||
the patient to determine the level of care required for | ||
transport to the receiving health care facility, and this | ||
assessment shall be documented in the patient care report | ||
and documented with online medical control. The EMS | ||
personnel licensed at or above the level of care required | ||
by the specific patient as directed by the EMS Medical | ||
Director shall be the primary care provider en route to | ||
the destination facility or patient's residence. The | ||
Department shall monitor the implementation and | ||
performance of alternative staffing models and may issue a | ||
notice of termination of an alternative staffing model | ||
only upon evidence that an EMS System Program Plan is not | ||
being adhered to. Adoption of an alternative staffing |
model shall not result in a Vehicle Service Provider being | ||
prohibited or limited in the utilization of its staff or | ||
equipment from providing any of the services authorized by | ||
this Act or as otherwise outlined in the approved EMS | ||
System Program Plan, including, without limitation, the | ||
deployment of resources to provide out-of-state disaster | ||
response. EMS System Program Plans must address a process | ||
for out-of-state disaster response deployments that must | ||
meet the following: | ||
(A) All deployments to provide out-of-state | ||
disaster response must first be approved by the EMS | ||
Medical Director and submitted to the Department. | ||
(B) The submission must include the number of | ||
units being deployed, vehicle identification numbers, | ||
length of deployment, and names of personnel and their | ||
licensure level. | ||
(C) Ensure that all necessary in-state requests | ||
for services will be covered during the duration of | ||
the deployment. | ||
An EMS System Program Plan for a Basic Life Support , | ||
advanced life support, and critical care transport
| ||
utilizing an EMR and an EMT shall include the
following: | ||
(A) Alternative staffing models for a Basic Life | ||
Support transport utilizing an EMR and an EMT shall | ||
only be utilized for interfacility Basic Life Support | ||
transports as specified by the EMS System Program Plan |
as determined by the EMS System Medical Director and | ||
medical appointments, excluding any transport to or | ||
from a dialysis center . | ||
(B) Protocols that shall include dispatch | ||
procedures to properly screen and assess patients for | ||
EMR-staffed transports and EMT-staffed Basic Life | ||
Support transport . | ||
(C) A requirement that a provider and EMS System | ||
shall implement a quality assurance plan that shall | ||
include for the initial waiver period the review of at | ||
least 5% of total interfacility transports utilizing | ||
an EMR with mechanisms outlined to audit dispatch | ||
screening , reason for transport, patient diagnosis, | ||
level of care, and the outcome of transports | ||
performed. Quality assurance reports must be submitted | ||
and reviewed by the provider and EMS System monthly | ||
and made available to the Department upon request. The | ||
percentage of transports reviewed under quality | ||
assurance plans for renewal periods shall be | ||
determined by the EMS Medical Director, however, it | ||
shall not be less than 3%. | ||
(D) The EMS System Medical Director shall develop | ||
a minimum set of requirements for individuals based on | ||
level of licensure that includes education, training, | ||
and credentialing for all team members identified to | ||
participate in an alternative staffing plan. The EMT , |
Paramedic, PHRN, PHPA, PHAPRN, and critical care | ||
transport staff shall have the minimum at least one | ||
year of experience in performance of pre-hospital and | ||
inter-hospital emergency care , as determined by the | ||
EMS Medical Director in accordance with the EMS System | ||
Program Plan, but at a minimum of 6 months of | ||
prehospital experience or at least 50 documented | ||
patient care interventions during transport as the | ||
primary care provider and approved by the Department . | ||
(E) The licensed EMR must complete a defensive | ||
driving course prior to participation in the | ||
Department's alternative staffing model. | ||
(F) The length of the EMS System Program Plan for a | ||
Basic Life Support transport
utilizing an EMR and an | ||
EMT shall be for one year, and must be renewed annually | ||
if proof of the criteria being met is submitted, | ||
validated, and approved by the EMS Medical Director | ||
for the EMS System and the Department. | ||
(G) Beginning July 1, 2023, the utilization of | ||
EMRs for advanced life support transports and Tier III | ||
Critical Care Transports shall be allowed for periods | ||
not to exceed 3 years under a pilot program. The pilot | ||
program shall not be implemented before Department | ||
approval. Agencies requesting to utilize this staffing | ||
model for the time period of the pilot program must | ||
complete the following: |
(i) Submit a waiver request to the Department | ||
requesting to participate in the pilot program | ||
with specific details of how quality assurance and | ||
improvement will be gathered, measured, reported | ||
to the Department, and reviewed and utilized | ||
internally by the participating agency. | ||
(ii) Submit a signed approval letter from the | ||
EMS System Medical Director approving | ||
participation in the pilot program. | ||
(iii) Submit updated EMS System plans, | ||
additional education, and training of the EMR and | ||
protocols related to the pilot program. | ||
(iv) Submit agency policies and procedures | ||
related to the pilot program. | ||
(v) Submit the number of individuals currently | ||
participating and committed to participating in | ||
education programs to achieve a higher level of | ||
licensure at the time of submission. | ||
(vi) Submit an explanation of how the provider | ||
will support individuals obtaining a higher level | ||
of licensure and encourage a higher level of | ||
licensure during the year of the alternative | ||
staffing plan and specific examples of recruitment | ||
and retention activities or initiatives. | ||
Upon submission of a renewal application and | ||
recruitment and retention plan, the provider shall |
include additional data regarding current employment | ||
numbers, attrition rates over the year, and activities | ||
and initiatives over the previous year to address | ||
recruitment and retention. | ||
The information required under this subparagraph | ||
(G) shall be provided to and retained by the EMS System | ||
upon initial application and renewal and shall be | ||
provided to the Department upon request. | ||
The Department must allow for an alternative rural | ||
staffing model for those vehicle service providers that | ||
serve a rural or semi-rural population of 10,000 or fewer | ||
inhabitants and exclusively uses volunteers, paid-on-call, | ||
or a combination thereof.
| ||
(4) License all Vehicle Service Providers
that have | ||
met the Department's requirements for licensure, unless
| ||
such Provider is owned or licensed by the federal
| ||
government. All Provider licenses issued by the Department
| ||
shall specify the level and type of each vehicle covered | ||
by
the license (BLS, ILS, ALS, ambulance, critical care | ||
transport, SEMSV, limited
operation vehicle, special use | ||
vehicle, reserve ambulance).
| ||
(5) Annually inspect all licensed vehicles operated by | ||
Vehicle
Service Providers.
| ||
(6) Suspend, revoke, refuse to issue or refuse to
| ||
renew the license of any Vehicle Service Provider, or that
| ||
portion of a license pertaining to a specific vehicle
|
operated by the Provider, after an opportunity for a
| ||
hearing, when findings show that the Provider or one or | ||
more
of its vehicles has failed to comply with the | ||
standards and
requirements of this Act or rules adopted by | ||
the Department
pursuant to this Act.
| ||
(7) Issue an Emergency Suspension Order for
any | ||
Provider or vehicle licensed under this Act, when the
| ||
Director or his designee has determined that an immediate
| ||
and serious danger to the public health, safety and | ||
welfare
exists. Suspension or revocation proceedings which | ||
offer an
opportunity for hearing shall be promptly | ||
initiated after
the Emergency Suspension Order has been | ||
issued.
| ||
(8) Exempt any licensed vehicle from
subsequent | ||
vehicle design standards or specifications required by the
| ||
Department, as long as said vehicle is continuously in
| ||
compliance with the vehicle design standards and
| ||
specifications originally applicable to that vehicle, or
| ||
until said vehicle's title of ownership is transferred.
| ||
(9) Exempt any vehicle (except an SEMSV)
which was | ||
being used as an ambulance on or before December 15,
1980, | ||
from vehicle design standards and specifications
required | ||
by the Department, until said vehicle's title of
ownership | ||
is transferred. Such vehicles shall not be exempt
from all | ||
other licensing standards and requirements
prescribed by | ||
the Department.
|
(10) Prohibit any Vehicle Service Provider
from | ||
advertising, identifying its vehicles, or disseminating
| ||
information in a false or misleading manner concerning the
| ||
Provider's type and level of vehicles, location, primary
| ||
service area, response times, level of personnel, | ||
licensure
status or System participation.
| ||
(10.5) Prohibit any Vehicle Service Provider, whether | ||
municipal, private, or hospital-owned, from advertising | ||
itself as a critical care transport provider unless it | ||
participates in a Department-approved EMS System critical | ||
care transport plan. | ||
(11) Charge each Vehicle Service Provider a
fee per | ||
transport vehicle, due annually at time of inspection. The | ||
fee per transport vehicle shall be set by administrative | ||
rule by the Department and shall not exceed 100 vehicles | ||
per provider. | ||
(12) Beginning July 1, 2023, as part of a pilot | ||
program that shall not exceed a term of 3 years, an | ||
ambulance may be upgraded to a higher level of care for | ||
interfacility transports by an ambulance assistance | ||
vehicle with appropriate equipment and licensed personnel | ||
to intercept with the licensed ambulance at the sending | ||
facility before departure. The pilot program shall not be | ||
implemented before Department approval. To participate in | ||
the pilot program, an agency must: | ||
(A) Submit a waiver request to the Department with |
intercept vehicle vehicle identification numbers, | ||
calls signs, equipment detail, and a robust quality | ||
assurance plan that shall list, at minimum, detailed | ||
reasons each intercept had to be completed, barriers | ||
to initial dispatch of advanced life support services, | ||
and how this benefited the patient. | ||
(B) Report to the Department quarterly additional | ||
data deemed meaningful by the providing agency along | ||
with the data required under subparagraph (A) of this | ||
paragraph (12). | ||
(C) Obtain a signed letter of approval from the | ||
EMS Medical Director allowing for participation in the | ||
pilot program. | ||
(D) Update EMS System plans and protocols from the | ||
pilot program. | ||
(E) Update policies and procedures from the | ||
agencies participating in the pilot program.
| ||
(Source: P.A. 102-623, eff. 8-27-21.)
| ||
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law. |