H 4718 General Bill, By J.E. Smith
Similar (H 3710)
Summary: Children's Emergency Medical Services Act
    A BILL TO AMEND ARTICLE 1, CHAPTER 61, TITLE 44, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (EMS), SO AS TO REVISE DEFINITIONS AND ADD NEW DEFINITIONS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE "STATE MEDICAL CONTROL PHYSICIAN" WITH WHOM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL CONTRACTS TO OVERSEE THE MEDICAL ASPECTS OF THE EMS PROGRAM AND THE "INVESTIGATIVE REVIEW COMMITTEE" TO CONDUCT INVESTIGATIONS OF LICENSEES; TO PROVIDE THAT THE EMS PROGRAM MUST INCLUDE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ELECTRONIC PATIENT CARE REPORTING SYSTEM TO PROVIDE DATA TO THE NATIONAL EMS INFORMATION SYSTEM DATABASE; TO EXPAND MEMBERSHIP ON THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ADVISORY COUNCIL AND TO PROVIDE THAT MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL SERVE WITHOUT COMPENSATION, MILEAGE, PER DIEM, AND SUBSISTENCE; TO SPECIFY THAT A BUSINESS PROVIDING EMS OR AMBULANCE SERVICES OR AN AMBULANCE ATTENDANT PROVIDING PATIENT CARE WITHOUT A LICENSE SUBJECTS THE BUSINESS OR PERSON TO CIVIL PENALTIES; TO REQUIRE AN EMS AND AN AMBULANCE SERVICE TO RETAIN A PHYSICIAN TO MAINTAIN QUALITY CONTROL OF PATIENT CARE AND TO PROVIDE IMMUNITY FROM CIVIL LIABILITY FOR SUCH PHYSICIANS ACTING IN GOOD FAITH IN CARRYING OUT THESE RESPONSIBILITIES; TO PROVIDE THAT AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN (EMT) CERTIFICATE IS VALID FOR FOUR YEARS, RATHER THAN THREE YEARS; TO DELETE THE REQUIREMENT THAT UPON CERTIFICATE RENEWAL AN EMT MUST COMPLETE A REFRESHER COURSE AND AN EXAMINATION AND INSTEAD TO REQUIRE THE EMT TO PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION OF CURRENT NATIONAL REGISTRATION FOR THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF CERTIFICATION AND TO PROVIDE AN EXEMPTION FOR EMT'S CERTIFIED BEFORE OCTOBER 2006; TO DELETE THE PROVISION AUTHORIZING THE GOVERNING BODY OF A COUNTY TO EXEMPT AMBULANCES USED PRIMARILY AS CONVALESCENT TRANSPORT UNITS FROM SIZE REQUIREMENTS AND TO ALSO DELETE OTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN VEHICLES USED AS CONVALESCENT TRANSPORT UNITS; TO SPECIFY THAT THE IDENTITY OF AN EMT CONTAINED IN INFORMATION COLLECTED BY EMS IS CONFIDENTIAL UNLESS REQUESTED BY A PATIENT; TO DELETE PROVISIONS PERTAINING TO THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF THE IDENTITY OF PHYSICIANS AND HOSPITALS AND THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF OFFICIAL INVESTIGATIONS CONDUCTED BY THE EMS SECTION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL AND TO REQUIRE THAT INVESTIGATIONS MUST BE CONDUCTED BY THE INVESTIGATIVE REVIEW COMMITTEE AND THAT ACTION TAKEN BY THE COMMITTEE ON A LICENSE IS PUBLIC INFORMATION AFTER ISSUANCE OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER; TO SPECIFY TO WHOM PATIENT INFORMATION MAY BE RELEASED; AND TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT AND A PERSON OR ENTITY LICENSED OR CERTIFIED PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE TO DISCLOSE TO THE SOLICITOR INFORMATION THAT COULD AID IN THE INVESTIGATION OR PROSECUTION OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY; AND TO AMEND ARTICLE 3, CHAPTER 61, TITLE 44, RELATING TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES FOR CHILDREN (EMSC) SO AS TO REVISE CERTAIN DEFINITIONS AND TO ADD THE DEFINITION OF "EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN" (EMT); TO PROVIDE THAT THE EMSC PROGRAM MUST INCLUDE GUIDELINES FOR VOLUNTARY DESIGNATION OF PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS, DISASTER RESPONSE GUIDELINES, PEDIATRIC PREPAREDNESS TRAINING, AND ASSISTANCE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF DISASTER PLANS; TO SPECIFY THAT THE IDENTITY OF AN EMT CONTAINED IN INFORMATION COLLECTED BY EMS IS CONFIDENTIAL UNLESS REQUESTED BY A PATIENT; TO DELETE PROVISIONS PERTAINING TO THE IDENTITY OF PHYSICIANS AND HOSPITALS; TO SPECIFY TO WHOM PATIENT INFORMATION MAY BE RELEASED; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT AND A PERSON OR ENTITY LICENSED OR CERTIFIED PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE TO DISCLOSE TO THE SOLICITOR INFORMATION THAT COULD AID IN THE INVESTIGATION OR PROSECUTION OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY; AND TO ESTABLISH THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES FOR CHILDREN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, TO PROVIDE FOR ITS MEMBERS AND DUTIES, AND TO PROVIDE THAT MEMBERS ON THE COMMITTEE SERVE WITHOUT COMPENSATION, MILEAGE, PER DIEM AND SUBSISTENCE.
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03/09/10	House	Introduced and read first time HJ-60
03/09/10	House	Referred to Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs HJ-60