(210 ILCS 50/3.87)
    Sec. 3.87. Ambulance service provider and vehicle service provider upgrades; rural population.
    (a) In this Section, "rural ambulance service provider" means an ambulance service provider licensed under this Act that serves a rural population of 7,500 or fewer inhabitants.
    In this Section, "rural vehicle service provider" means an entity that serves a rural population of 7,500 or fewer inhabitants and is licensed by the Department to provide emergency or non-emergency medical services in compliance with this Act, the rules adopted by the Department pursuant to this Act, and an operational plan approved by the entity's EMS System, utilizing at least an ambulance, alternate response vehicle as defined by the Department in rules, or specialized emergency medical services vehicle.
    (b) A rural ambulance service provider or rural vehicle service provider may submit a proposal to the EMS System Medical Director requesting approval of either or both of the following:
        (1) Rural ambulance service provider or rural vehicle
    
service provider in-field service level upgrade.
            (A) An ambulance operated by a rural ambulance
        
service provider or a specialized emergency medical services vehicle or alternate response vehicle operated by a rural vehicle service provider may be upgraded, as defined by the EMS System Medical Director in a policy or procedure, as long as the EMS System Medical Director and the Department have approved the proposal, to the highest level of EMT license (advanced life support/paramedic, intermediate life support, or basic life support) or Pre-Hospital APRN, Pre-Hospital PA, or Pre-Hospital RN license held by any person staffing that ambulance, specialized emergency medical services vehicle, or alternate response vehicle. The ambulance service provider's or rural vehicle service provider's proposal for an upgrade must include all of the following:
                (i) The manner in which the provider will
            
secure and store advanced life support equipment, supplies, and medications.
                (ii) The type of quality assurance the
            
provider will perform.
                (iii) An assurance that the provider will
            
advertise only the level of care that can be provided 24 hours a day.
                (iv) A statement that the provider will have
            
that vehicle inspected by the Department annually.
            (B) If a rural ambulance service provider or
        
rural vehicle service provider is approved to provide an in-field service level upgrade based on the licensed personnel on the vehicle, all the advanced life support medical supplies, durable medical equipment, and medications must be environmentally controlled, secured, and locked with access by only the personnel who have been authorized by the EMS System Medical Director to utilize those supplies.
            (C) The EMS System shall routinely perform
        
quality assurance, in compliance with the EMS System's quality assurance plan approved by the Department, on in-field service level upgrades authorized under this Section to ensure compliance with the EMS System plan.
        (2) Rural ambulance service provider or rural vehicle
    
service provider in-field service level upgrade. The EMS System Medical Director may define what constitutes an in-field service level upgrade through an EMS System policy or procedure. An in-field service level upgrade may include, but need not be limited to, an upgrade to a licensed ambulance, alternate response vehicle, or specialized emergency medical services vehicle.
    (c) If the EMS System Medical Director approves a proposal for a rural in-field service level upgrade under this Section, he or she shall submit the proposal to the Department along with a statement of approval signed by him or her. Once the Department has approved the proposal, the rural ambulance service provider or rural vehicle service provider will be authorized to function at the highest level of EMT license (advanced life support/paramedic, intermediate life support, or basic life support) or Pre-Hospital RN, Pre-Hospital APRN, or Pre-Hospital PA license held by any person staffing the vehicle.
(Source: P.A. 99-78, eff. 7-20-15; 100-1082, eff. 8-24-19.)