Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 15 - Mississippi Department of Health › Part 12 - Bureau of Emergency Medical Services › Subpart 31 - Emergency Medical Services › Chapter 3 - AERO MEDICAL SERVICES › Subchapter 5 - Medical Direction › Rule 15-12-31-3.5.2 - Responsibilities

Current through June 25, 2024
Responsibilities: The physician shall be knowledgeable in
						aeromedical physiology, stresses of flight, aircraft safety, patient care, and
						resource limitations of the aircraft, medical staff, and equipment. The medical
						director shall be actively involved in the care of the critically ill and/or
						injured patient.
1. The off-line
					 medical director shall have access to consult with medical specialists for
					 patient(s) whose illness and care needs are outside his/her area of practice.
					 The medical director must have education experience in those areas of medicine
					 that are commensurate with the mission statement of the medical transport
					 service or utilize specialty physicians as consultants when
					 appropriate.
2. The off-line
					 medical director shall ensure that there is a comprehensive plan/policy to
					 address selection of appropriate aircraft, staffing, and equipment.
3. The off-line medical director shall be
					 involved in the selection, hiring, training and continuing education of all
					 medical personnel. The medical director is actively involved in the hiring
					 process, training, and continuing education of all medical personnel for the
					 service that includes involvement in skills labs, medical protocol or guideline
					 changes or additions.
4. The
					 off-line medical director shall be responsible for overseeing the development
					 and maintenance of a quality assurance or a continuous quality improvement
					 program. The medical director is actively involved in the quality management
					 program for the service.
5. The
					 off-line medical director shall ensure that there is a plan to provide
					 direction of patient care to the air medical personnel during transport. The
					 system shall include on-line (radio/telephone) medical control, and/or an
					 appropriate system for off-line medical control such as written guidelines,
					 protocols, procedures patient specific written orders or standing orders. The
					 medical director should maintain an open communication system with referring
					 and accepting physicians and be accessible for concerns expressed by referring
					 and accepting physicians regarding controversial issues and patient management.
6. The off-line medical director
					 shall participate in any administrative decision-making processes that affects
					 patient care. The medical director is actively involved in administrative
					 decisions affecting medical care or the service.
7. The off-line medical director will ensure
					 that there is an adequate method for online medical control, and that there is
					 a well-defined plan or procedure and resources in place to allow off-line
					 medical control. The medical director is actively involved in orienting
					 physicians providing online medical direction according to the policies,
					 procedures, and patient care protocols of the medical transport
					 service.
8. In the case where
					 written policies are instituted for medical control, the off-line medical
					 director will oversee the review, revision, and validation of them annually.
					 The medical director sets and annually reviews medical guidelines for current
					 accepted medical practice, and medical guidelines are in a written
					 format.
9. The plan for medical
					 control must be submitted to BEMS at least 30 days prior to the service start
					 date for approval by BEMS and the State EMS Medical Director.
10. Revisions in the medical control plan
					 must be submitted prior to implementation. At a minimum, medical control plans
					 shall be resubmitted to BEMS every three (3) years.
11. The transport service will know the
					 capabilities and resources of receiving facilities and will transport patients
					 to appropriate facilities within the service region based on direct referral,
					 approved EMS plan, or services available when no direction is provided.
					 Whenever possible, services that respond directly to the scene will transport
					 patients to the nearest appropriate hospital.
Miss. Code Ann.
						§
												41-59-5