§ 8104. Emergency medical services system programs.

(a) Planning and coordination.--The department shall plan, guide and coordinate programs on the following matters to promote effective and efficient operation of Statewide and regional EMS systems:

(1) The number and distribution of EMS providers and other persons integral to an EMS system, such as medical command physicians and EMS agency medical directors, with appropriate training and experience.

(2) Reasonably accessible training for EMS providers and other persons integral to an EMS system, including clinical training and continuing education programs coordinated with other programs providing similar, complementary and supplemental training and education.

(3) The joining of personnel, facilities and equipment coordinated through a communication system to ensure that EMS requests will be handled by communications facilities that:

(i) utilize emergency medical telecommunications screening to determine the appropriate emergency agency response;

(ii) are accessible to the general public through a common telephone number and, where feasible, through the universal emergency telephone number 911; and

(iii) will have direct communications with appropriate personnel facilities and equipment resources.

(4) The number and distribution of ambulances and other EMS vehicles in which:

(i) ambulances and other vehicles meet appropriate criteria relating to location, design, performance and equipment; and

(ii) operators and other personnel staffing vehicles meet appropriate training and experience requirements.

(5) The number and accessibility of facilities that:

(i) are collectively capable of providing EMS on a continuous basis;

(ii) have appropriate specialty capabilities;

(iii) meet appropriate standards relating to capacity, location, personnel and equipment; and

(iv) are coordinated with other health care facilities and resource centers.

(6) Access and transportation to trauma centers and specialty care receiving facilities.

(7) Transfer of patients between facilities or to programs offering necessary follow-up care and rehabilitation.

(8) Utilization of appropriate personnel, facilities and equipment of each entity providing EMS.

(9) Regional EMS councils that provide persons residing in an EMS region, and who have no professional or financial interest in the provision of health care, with an adequate opportunity to participate in the making of policy for the regional EMS system.

(10) The provision of EMS to all persons requiring those services.

(11) A standardized data collection system that covers all phases of the EMS incident, including, but not limited to, the dispatch report and contact, treatment and transport of a patient in the EMS system.

(12) Programs of public education, information and prevention, integrated with public health education and taking into account needs of visitors and residents, concerning methods for accessing EMS and stressing dissemination of information as to first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

(13) The provision of periodic comprehensive review and evaluation of the extent and quality of the EMS provided in each regional EMS system and reports to the department of each review or evaluation.

(14) Plans to assure that each regional EMS system will be able to provide or secure EMS during mass casualty situations, natural disasters and declared states of emergency in accordance with Chapter 71 (relating to general provisions) and the instructions of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.

(15) Appropriate intrastate and interstate arrangements for the provision of EMS as needed.

(b) Limitations.--This section is intended to identify EMS objectives to be pursued and achieved by the department in its role as lead agency for EMS. Nothing herein shall be construed to confer regulatory powers upon the department beyond those conferred elsewhere in this chapter.

Cross References. Section 8104 is referred to in sections 8106, 8109 of this title.