Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Chapter 81 - Emergency Medical Services System
Section 8125 - Medical director of emergency medical services agency

§ 8125. Medical director of emergency medical services agency.
(a) Qualifications.--To qualify and continue to function as an EMS agency medical director, an individual shall:
(1) Be a physician.
(2) Satisfy one of the following:
(i) Have successfully completed an emergency medicine residency program accredited by a residency program accrediting body recognized by the State Board of Medicine or the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine.
(ii) Have successfully completed a residency program in surgery, internal medicine, family medicine, pediatrics or anesthesiology, accredited by a residency program accrediting body recognized by the State Board of Medicine or the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine. The physician shall also have successfully completed or taught an advanced cardiac life support course acceptable to the department within the preceding two years and have completed, at least once, an advanced trauma life support course acceptable to the department and an advanced pediatric life support course acceptable to the department or other programs determined by the department to meet or exceed the standards of these programs.
(iii) Have served as an advanced life support service medical director under the act of July 3, 1985
(P.L.164, No.45), known as the Emergency Medical Services Act, prior to the effective date of this chapter.
(3) Have a valid Drug Enforcement Agency number.
(4) Have completed the EMS agency medical director's course, an EMS fellowship or other EMS training program that is determined by the department to be equivalent. This training shall assure that the EMS agency medical director has knowledge of:
(i) The scope of practice of EMS providers.
(ii) The provision of EMS pursuant to department- approved protocols.
(iii) The interface between EMS providers and medical command physicians.
(iv) Quality improvement principles.
(v) Emergency medical dispatch principles and EMS agency communication capabilities.
(vi) EMS system design and operation.
(vii) Federal and State laws and regulations regarding EMS.
(viii) Regional and State mass casualty and disaster plans.
(b) Roles and responsibilities.--An EMS agency medical director is responsible for the following:
(1) Reviewing department-approved EMS protocols that are applicable to the EMS agency and ensuring that its EMS providers and other relevant personnel are familiar with the protocols applicable to them.
(2) Conducting for and reporting to the EMS agency the following:
(i) An initial assessment of an EMS provider at or above the advanced EMT level to determine whether the EMS provider has demonstrated competency in the knowledge and skills one must have to competently perform the skills within the scope of practice of the EMS provider at that level and a commitment to adequately perform other functions relevant to the EMS provider providing EMS at that level. This subparagraph does not apply if the EMS provider was working for the EMS agency at the same level prior to the physician becoming the medical director for the EMS agency and the EMS provider was credentialed at that EMS agency within the last year as being able to perform at the EMS provider's certification level.
(ii) At least annually, an assessment of each EMS provider at or above the advanced EMT level as to whether the EMS provider has demonstrated competency in the knowledge and skills an EMS provider must have to competently perform the skills within the scope of practice of the EMS provider at that level and a commitment to adequately perform other functions relevant to the EMS provider providing EMS at that level.
(3) Participating in and reviewing quality improvement reviews of patient care provided by the EMS agency and participating in the Statewide and regional quality improvement program.
(4) Providing medical guidance and advice to the EMS agency.
(5) Providing guidance with respect to the ordering, stocking and replacement of drugs and compliance with laws and regulations impacting upon the EMS agency's acquisition, storage and use of those drugs.
(6) Maintaining a liaison with the regional EMS medical director.
(7) Recommending to the department suspension, revocation or restriction of EMS provider's certifications.
(8) Reviewing regional mass casualty and disaster plans.
(9) Performing other functions as the department may impose by regulation.
References in Text. The act of July 3, 1985 (P.L.164, No.45), known as the Emergency Medical Serivces Act, referred to in subsec. (a) was repealed by the act of August 18, 2009 (P.L.308, No.37). The subject matter is now contained in Chapter 81.
Cross References. Section 8125 is referred to in sections 8113, 8129 of this title.

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