Sec. 20919.

(1) A medical control authority shall establish written protocols for the practice of life support agencies and licensed emergency medical services personnel within its region. The medical control authority shall develop and adopt the protocols required under this section in accordance with procedures established by the department and shall include all of the following:

(a) The acts, tasks, or functions that may be performed by each type of emergency medical services personnel licensed under this part.

(b) Medical protocols to ensure the appropriate dispatching of a life support agency based upon medical need and the capability of the emergency medical services system.

(c) Protocols for complying with the Michigan do-not-resuscitate procedure act, 1996 PA 193, MCL 333.1051 to 333.1067.

(d) Protocols defining the process, actions, and sanctions a medical control authority may use in holding a life support agency or emergency medical services personnel accountable.

(e) Protocols to ensure that if the medical control authority determines that an immediate threat to the public health, safety, or welfare exists, appropriate action to remove medical control can immediately be taken until the medical control authority has had the opportunity to review the matter at a medical control authority hearing. The protocols must require that the hearing is held within 3 business days after the medical control authority's determination.

(f) Protocols to ensure that if medical control has been removed from a participant in an emergency medical services system, the participant does not provide prehospital care until medical control is reinstated and that the medical control authority that removed the medical control notifies the department of the removal within 1 business day.

(g) Protocols to ensure that a quality improvement program is in place within a medical control authority and provides data protection as provided in 1967 PA 270, MCL 331.531 to 331.534.

(h) Protocols to ensure that an appropriate appeals process is in place.

(i) Protocols to ensure that each life support agency that provides basic life support, limited advanced life support, or advanced life support is equipped with epinephrine or epinephrine auto-injectors and that each emergency medical services personnel authorized to provide those services is properly trained to recognize an anaphylactic reaction, to administer the epinephrine, and to dispose of the epinephrine auto-injector or vial.

(j) Protocols to ensure that each life support vehicle that is dispatched and responding to provide medical first response life support, basic life support, or limited advanced life support is equipped with an automated external defibrillator and that each emergency medical services personnel is properly trained to utilize the automated external defibrillator.

(k) Protocols to ensure that each life support vehicle that is dispatched and responding to provide medical first response life support, basic life support, or limited advanced life support is equipped with opioid antagonists and that each emergency medical services personnel is properly trained to administer opioid antagonists. However, a medical control authority, at its discretion, may rescind or continue the protocol adopted under this subdivision.

(l) Protocols for complying with part 56B.

(2) A medical control authority shall not establish a protocol under this section that conflicts with the Michigan do-not-resuscitate procedure act, 1996 PA 193, MCL 333.1051 to 333.1067, or part 56B.

(3) The department shall establish procedures for the development and adoption of written protocols under this section. The procedures must include at least all of the following requirements:

(a) At least 60 days before the adoption of a protocol, the medical control authority shall circulate a written draft of the proposed protocol to all significantly affected persons within the emergency medical services system served by the medical control authority and submit the written draft to the department for approval.

(b) The department shall review a proposed protocol for consistency with other protocols concerning similar subject matter that have already been established in this state and shall consider any written comments received from interested persons in its review.

(c) Within 60 days after receiving a written draft of a proposed protocol from a medical control authority, the department shall provide a written recommendation to the medical control authority with any comments or suggested changes on the proposed protocol. If the department does not respond within 60 days after receiving the written draft, the proposed protocol is considered to be approved by the department.

(d) After department approval of a proposed protocol, the medical control authority may formally adopt and implement the protocol.

(e) A medical control authority may establish an emergency protocol necessary to preserve the health or safety of individuals within its region in response to a present medical emergency or disaster without following the procedures established by the department under this subsection for an ordinary protocol. An emergency protocol established under this subdivision is effective only for a limited period and does not take permanent effect unless it is approved according to the procedures established by the department under this subsection.

(4) A medical control authority shall provide an opportunity for an affected participant in an emergency medical services system to appeal a decision of the medical control authority. Following appeal, the medical control authority may affirm, suspend, or revoke its original decision. After appeals to the medical control authority have been exhausted, the affected participant in an emergency medical services system may appeal the medical control authority's decision to the state emergency medical services coordination committee created in section 20915. The state emergency medical services coordination committee shall issue an opinion on whether the actions or decisions of the medical control authority are in accordance with the department-approved protocols of the medical control authority and state law. If the state emergency medical services coordination committee determines in its opinion that the actions or decisions of the medical control authority are not in accordance with the medical control authority's department-approved protocols or with state law, the state emergency medical services coordination committee shall recommend that the department take any enforcement action authorized under this code.

(5) If adopted in protocols approved by the department, a medical control authority may require life support agencies within its region to meet reasonable additional standards for equipment and personnel, other than medical first responders, that may be more stringent than are otherwise required under this part. If a medical control authority proposes a protocol that establishes additional standards for equipment and personnel, the medical control authority and the department shall consider the medical and economic impact on the local community, the need for communities to do long-term planning, and the availability of personnel. If either the medical control authority or the department determines that negative medical or economic impacts outweigh the benefits of those additional standards as they affect public health, safety, and welfare, the medical control authority shall not adopt and the department shall not approve protocols containing those additional standards.

(6) If adopted in protocols approved by the department, a medical control authority may require medical first response services and licensed medical first responders within its region to meet additional standards for equipment and personnel to ensure that each medical first response service is equipped with an epinephrine auto-injector, and that each licensed medical first responder is properly trained to recognize an anaphylactic reaction and to administer and dispose of the epinephrine auto-injector, if a life support agency that provides basic life support, limited advanced life support, or advanced life support is not readily available in that location.

(7) If a decision of the medical control authority under subsection (5) or (6) is appealed by an affected person, the medical control authority shall make available, in writing, the medical and economic information it considered in making its decision. On appeal, the state emergency medical services coordination committee created in section 20915 shall review this information under subsection (4) and shall issue its findings in writing.

History: Add. 1990, Act 179, Imd. Eff. July 2, 1990 ;-- Am. 1996, Act 192, Eff. Aug. 1, 1996 ;-- Am. 2000, Act 375, Imd. Eff. Jan. 2, 2001 ;-- Am. 2003, Act 233, Imd. Eff. Dec. 22, 2003 ;-- Am. 2006, Act 582, Imd. Eff. Jan. 3, 2007 ;-- Am. 2014, Act 312, Imd. Eff. Oct. 14, 2014 ;-- Am. 2017, Act 154, Eff. Feb. 6, 2018 ;-- Am. 2018, Act 383, Eff. Mar. 19, 2019 ;-- Am. 2019, Act 37, Eff. Sept. 24, 2019 Compiler's Notes: For transfer of powers and duties of department of licensing and regulatory affairs relative to registration, licensing, or regulation of professional occupations arising from part 209 of the public health code, including board, commission, council, or similar entity providing regulation of health professionals under part 209 of article 17 of the public health code to department of health and human services, see E.R.O. No. 2017-3, compiled at MCL 333.26254.Popular Name: Act 368