ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Fifty-sixth Legislature First Regular Session
	Senate: HHS DP 7-0-0-0 | 3^rd Read 24-4-2-0

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SB 1711: ambulances; emergency medical services

Sponsor: Senator Gowan, LD 19

Committee on Health & Human Services

Overview

Requires, effective January 1, 2024, the Arizona Department of Health Services (DHS) ambulance service criteria and procedures to include a requirement that ambulances, while providing interfacility transport in any certificate of necessity (CON), be staffed by at least one ambulance attendant who is an emergency medical technician (EMT), a licensed physician or a professional nurse, as well as one who is either an EMT or an emergency medical responder.

History

The DHS Director is authorized to adopt reasonable medical equipment, supply, staffing and safety standards, criteria and procedures to issue a CON to operate an ambulance. These standards, criteria and procedures must require that an ambulance providing interfacility transportation or serving a rural or wilderness CON area with a population of less than 10,000 individuals have at least one ambulance attendant who is an EMT, a licensed physician or professional nurse, as well as one who is either an EMT or emergency medical responder while transporting a patient (A.R.S. § 36-2202).

Statute defines an ambulance as any publicly or privately owned surface, water or air vehicle, including a helicopter, that contains a stretcher and necessary medical equipment and supplies that is constructed or modified and equipped to be used primarily for the transport of individuals who are sick, injured, wounded or who require medical monitoring or aid.

An ambulance attendant means any of the following: 1) an EMT, advanced EMT or a paramedic whose primary responsibility is the care of patients in an ambulance; 2) an emergency medical responder who is employed by an ambulance operating service; 3) a licensed medical doctor or osteopathic physician; or 4) a licensed professional nurse who meets the Arizona State Board of Nursing criteria to care for patients in the prehospital care system or whose primary responsibility is the care of patients in an ambulance during an interfacility transport (A.R.S. § 36-2201).

Provisions

1. Specifies, that DHS's ambulance service criteria and procedures must include a requirement that ambulances, while providing interfacility transport in any CON, be staffed by at least one ambulance attendant who is an EMT, a licensed physician or professional nurse, as well as one who is either an EMT or an emergency medical responder. (Sec. 2)

2. Clarifies the term emergency medical responder. (Sec. 1)

3. Contains an effective date of January 1, 2024. (Sec. 3)

4. Makes technical and conforming changes. (Sec. 1, 2)

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8.                   SB 1711

9. Initials AG Page 0 Health & Human Services

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