Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 18, September 24, 2024
A.
Certification required. An emergency medical dispatch agency
shall not operate within the state of New Mexico, nor dispatch calls within or
from the state of New Mexico, nor represent itself to be an emergency medical
dispatch agency operating in the state of New Mexico or dispatching calls
within or from the state of New Mexico, unless the emergency medical dispatch
agency holds a valid certificate in accordance with this rule.
B.
Minimum requirements for medical
dispatch agencies. A certified medical dispatch agency shall utilize an
emergency medical dispatch priority reference system that is published by a
bureau-approved source and that is used by licensed emergency medical
dispatchers. A medical dispatch agency shall utilize only licensed EMDs for
emergency medical dispatch.
C.
Exceptions for medical dispatch agencies. In the event of a large
scale emergency or mass casualty incident, emergency medical dispatch agencies
may suspend emergency medical dispatch for the duration of the incident to
accommodate the unusual increase in call volume.
D.
Emergency medical dispatch agency
performance and certification. A medical dispatch agency shall be
operated in a safe, efficient, and effective manner in accordance with this
rule, and shall further comply with the following minimum standards:
(1) an emergency medical dispatch agency
shall, in accordance with any applicable requirements of this rule, implement
and ensure that the agency's medical director reviews, approves, and oversees:
(a) an emergency medical dispatch priority
reference system;
(b) an emergency
medical dispatch training program;
(c) a quality assurance program;
(d) an emergency medical dispatch oversight
committee; and
(e) an emergency
medical dispatch continuing education program;
(2) any emergency medical dispatch priority
reference system, including but not limited to its questions, instructions,
codes, and protocols, shall be utilized in its entirety, rather than in limited
parts;
(3) an emergency medical
dispatch agency shall ensure that emergency medical dispatchers follow the
questions and decision-making processes (flowcharts) within their emergency
medical dispatch priority reference system in compliance with the written
policies and procedures of their emergency medical dispatch agency, and as
approved by the agency's medical director;
(4) an emergency medical dispatch agency
shall use a bureau-approved emergency medical dispatch priority reference
system on every request for medical assistance;
(5) an emergency medical dispatch agency
shall ensure that each emergency medical dispatcher provides dispatch life
support (including but not limited to pre-arrival instructions) in compliance
with the written text or scripts and other processes within the approved
emergency medical dispatch priority reference system;
(6) an emergency medical dispatch agency
shall maintain and utilize policies and procedures for the safe and effective
use of the agency's approved emergency medical dispatch priority reference
system;
(7) an emergency medical
dispatch agency shall ensure that emergency medical dispatchers maintain valid
licensure in accordance with 7.27.2 NMAC ("Licensing of Emergency Medical
Services Personnel");
(8) an
emergency medical dispatch agency shall set minimum training requirements that
meet state standards for emergency medical dispatcher certification;
(9) an emergency medical dispatch agency
shall, with the written approval and supervision of the agency's medical
director and with the input of the agency's emergency medical dispatch
oversight committee, establish a continuous quality assurance program that
measures various areas of compliance with the emergency medical dispatch
priority reference system;
(10) an
emergency medical dispatch agency shall maintain and utilize the most current
version of the bureau-approved emergency medical dispatch priority reference
system selected for use by the emergency medical dispatch agency within six
months of its publication; the most current version of the priority reference
system shall also be approved in writing by the emergency medical dispatch
medical director;
(11) an emergency
medical dispatch agency's emergency medical dispatch oversight committee shall:
(a) establish local medical standards for
dispatch procedures to assure the appropriate EMS response units are dispatched
to the medical emergency scene;
(b)
develop a relevant emergency medical dispatch system;
(c) develop relevant local standing orders
and protocol as needed;
(d)
establish and monitor training standards for initial and continuing education;
and
(e) plan, develop and implement
the EMS agency's quality assurance program.
E.
Pre-approved EMD priority reference
systems. The bureau shall identify pre-approved standardized emergency
medical dispatch priority reference systems for selection and use by local
emergency medical dispatch agencies.
