ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Fifty-fifth Legislature Second Regular Session
	House: HHS DP 7-2-0-0 | 3^rd Read 31-25-3-1 Senate: HHS DP 8-0-0-0 | 3^rd Read 20-5-5-0

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HB 2431: emergency medical services; patient transport

Sponsor: Representative Shah, LD 24

Senate Engrossed

Overview

Outlines requirements and restrictions relating to an emergency medical care technician's (EMCT) communication with a patient.

History

An EMCT means an individual who has been certified by the Arizona Department of Health Services (DHS) as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), advanced emergency EMT, an EMT I-99 or a paramedic (A.R.S. § 36-2201).  

The Medical Director of the Statewide Emergency Medical Services and Trauma System, the Emergency Medical Services Council and the Medical Direction Commission must recommend to the Director of DHS certain standards and criteria pertaining to the quality of emergency patient care, including:

1) Statewide standardized training, certification and recertification standards for all classifications of EMCT's;

2) A standardized and validated testing procedure for all classifications of EMCTs;

3) Medical standards for certification and recertification of training programs for all classifications of EMCT's;

4) Standards and mechanisms for monitoring and ongoing evaluation of performance levels of all classifications of EMCT's;

5) Objective criteria and mechanisms for decertification of all classifications of EMCT's; and

6) Standards for ambulance service and medical transportation that give consideration to the differences between urban, rural and wilderness areas (A.R.S. § 2204).

Provisions

1. Directs an EMCT to comply with either emergency medical standards and protocols established by the regional council or the medical direction for the local jurisdiction when considering emergency transport, including the appropriate use of telecommunications.     (Sec. 1)

2. Prohibits an EMCT from:

a) Providing a patient with a presumptive medical diagnosis and using that medical diagnosis as the basis for counseling the patient to decline emergency medical services transportation; or

b) Counseling a patient to decline emergency medical services transportation, except as part of a specific alternate destination or treat-and-refer program that includes quality management and comprehensive medical direction oversight. (Sec. 1)

3. Requires an EMCT to explain to a patient the risks and consequences to the patient's health of not being transported. (Sec. 1)

Senate Amendments

1. Specifies that it is not a violation for an EMCT to inform a patient of their right to accept or decline emergency medical services transportation, unless the EMCT does so in an effort to coerce the patient to decline emergency medical services.

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5.                   HB 2431

6. Initials AG/JB        Page 0 Senate Engrossed

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