North Carolina Administrative Code › Title 10A - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES › Chapter 13 - NC MEDICAL CARE COMMISSION › Subchapter P - EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES AND TRAUMA RULES › Section .0200 - EMS SYSTEMS › Section 13P .0201 - EMS SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

Current through Register Vol. 39, No. 2, July 15, 2024
(a) County
				  governments shall establish EMS Systems. Each EMS System shall have:
(1) a defined geographical service area for
				  the EMS System. The minimum service area for an EMS System shall be one county.
				  There may be multiple EMS Provider service areas within an EMS System. The
				  highest level of care offered within any EMS Provider service area shall be
				  available to the citizens within that service area 24 hours a day, seven days a
				  week;
(2) a defined scope of
				  practice for all EMS personnel functioning in the EMS System within the
				  parameters set forth by the North Carolina Medical Board pursuant to G.S. 143-
				  514;
(3) written policies and
				  procedures describing the dispatch, coordination, and oversight of all
				  responders that provide EMS care, specialty patient care skills, and procedures
				  as set forth in Rule .0301 of this Subchapter, and ambulance transport within
				  the system;
(4) at least one
				  licensed EMS Provider;
(5) a
				  listing of permitted ambulances to provide coverage to the service area 24
				  hours a day, seven days a week;
(6)
				  personnel credentialed to perform within the scope of practice of the system
				  and to staff the ambulance vehicles as required by G.S. 131E- 158. There shall
				  be a written plan for the use of credentialed EMS personnel for all practice
				  settings used within the system;
(7) written policies and procedures specific
				  to the utilization of the EMS System's EMS Care data for the daily and on-going
				  management of all EMS System resources;
(8) a written Infectious Disease Control
				  Policy as defined in Rule .0102 of this Subchapter and written procedures that
				  are approved by the EMS System Medical Director that address the cleansing and
				  disinfecting of vehicles and equipment that are used to treat or transport
				  patients;
(9) a listing of
				  resources that will provide online medical direction for all EMS Providers
				  operating within the EMS System;
(10) an EMS communication system that
				  provides for:
(A) public access to emergency
				  services by dialing 9-1-1 within the public dial telephone network as the
				  primary method for the public to request emergency assistance. This number
				  shall be connected to the PSAP with immediate assistance available such that no
				  caller will be instructed to hang up the telephone and dial another telephone
				  number. A person calling for emergency assistance shall not be required to
				  speak with more than two persons to request emergency medical
				  assistance;
(B) a PSAP operated by
				  public safety telecommunicators with training in the management of calls for
				  medical assistance available 24 hours a day, seven days a week;
(C) dispatch of the most appropriate
				  emergency medical response unit or units to any caller's request for
				  assistance. The dispatch of all response vehicles shall be in accordance with a
				  written EMS System plan for the management and deployment of response vehicles
				  including requests for mutual aid; and
(D) two-way radio voice communications from
				  within the defined service area to the PSAP and to facilities where patients
				  are transported. The PSAP shall maintain all required FCC radio licenses or
				  authorizations;
(11)
				  written policies and procedures for addressing the use of SCTP and Air Medical
				  Programs resources utilized within the system;
(12) a written continuing education program
				  for all credentialed EMS personnel, under the direction of a System Continuing
				  Education Coordinator, developed and modified based on feedback from EMS Care
				  system data, review, and evaluation of patient outcomes and quality management
				  peer reviews, that follows the criteria set forth in Rule .0501 of this
				  Subchapter;
(13) written policies
				  and procedures to address management of the EMS System that includes:
(A) triage and transport of all acutely ill
				  and injured patients with time- dependent or other specialized care issues
				  including trauma, stroke, STEMI, burn, and pediatric patients that may require
				  the bypass of other licensed health care facilities and that are based upon the
				  expanded clinical capabilities of the selected healthcare facilities;
(B) triage and transport of patients to
				  facilities outside of the system;
(C) arrangements for transporting patients to
				  identified facilities when diversion or bypass plans are activated;
(D) reporting, monitoring, and establishing
				  standards for system response times using system data;
(E) a disaster plan;
(F) a mass-gathering plan that includes how
				  the provision of EMS standby coverage for the public-at-large will be
				  provided;
(G) a mass-casualty
				  plan;
(H) a weapons plan for any
				  weapon as set forth in Rule .0216 of this Section;
(I) a plan on how EMS personnel shall report
				  suspected child abuse pursuant to G.S. 7B-301;
(J) a plan on how EMS personnel shall report
				  suspected abuse of the disabled pursuant to G.S. 108A-102;
(K) a plan on how each responding agency is
				  to maintain a current roster of its personnel providing EMS care within the
				  county under the provider number issued pursuant to Paragraph (c) of this Rule,
				  in the OEMS credentialing and information database; and
(L) a plan on how each licensed hospital
				  facility will use and maintain two-way radio communication for receiving in
				  coming patient from EMS providers;
(14) affiliation as defined in Rule .0102 of
				  this Subchapter with a trauma RAC as required by Rule .1101(b) of this
				  Subchapter; and
(15) medical
				  oversight as required by Section .0400 of this Subchapter.