New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 7 - HEALTH
Chapter 27 - EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
Part 5 - CERTIFICATION OF AIR AMBULANCE
Section 7.27.5.7 - DEFINITIONS

A. "Act (EMS Act)" means the Emergency Medical Services Act, [Sections 24-10B-1, et seq., NMSA 1978].

B. "Advanced life support air ambulance service" means an organization, certified by the bureau, to transport in an air ambulance, patient(s) who require basic life support (BLS) or advanced life support (ALS) care.

C. "Advanced life support (ALS)" means advanced pre-hospital and inter-facility care and treatment, as authorized by regulation, which may be performed only by a person licensed by the department as an emergency medical technician - paramedic (EMT-P), or licensed by the state at a higher level, or otherwise authorized to practice ALS.

D. "Air ambulance service" means any governmental or private service that provides air transportation specifically designed to accommodate the medical needs of a person who is ill, injured or otherwise mentally or physically incapacitated and who requires in-flight medical supervision.

E. "Air ambulance certificate" means a document issued by the department as evidence that an air ambulance service meets the requirements for certification at the advanced life support, critical or specialty care level, as found in these rules.

F. "Aircraft type" means a particular make and model of helicopter or fixed wing aircraft.

G. "Aircraft operator" means the vendor and/or owner who operates and maintains the aircraft utilized by an air ambulance service.

H. "Air medical transport advisory committee (AMTAC)" means a subcommittee of the statewide EMS advisory committee as authorized by the EMS Act, Section 24-10B-7.A., NMSA 1978. The term "air medical transport advisory committee" as used throughout these rules is synonymous with "air transport advisory committee".

I. "Bureau" means the emergency medical systems bureau of the epidemiology and response division, of the department of health.

J. "Certification evaluation team" means a team appointed by the bureau for the purpose of performing an initial or subsequent inspection of air medical services seeking certification, or of those already certified.

K. "Combination service" means any service that has more than one type of aircraft, for example, fixed wing and rotor wing.

L. "Commission on the accreditation of medical transport systems (CAMTS)" means a national accrediting organization that evaluates air ambulance services based on air ambulance industry standards established by CAMTS.

M. "Critical care air ambulance service" means an organization certified by the bureau to transport patients in an air ambulance that requires critical care.

N. "Critical care" means pre-hospital or inter-facility care and treatment, respectively, that exceeds the advanced life support level of care, as authorized by rule. The critical care mission shall consist of at least one critical care provider and at least one additional provider which shall be licensed at or above the ALS level of care, and/or specifically trained in the area of care required. Additional providers may be added as necessary.

O. "Critical care provider" means the critical care primary provider shall consist of at least one registered nurse, physician assistant, nurse practitioner and/or medical physician trained in the area of critical care.

P. "Department" means the department of health.

Q. "Emergency medical services (EMS)" means the services rendered by providers in response to an individual's need for immediate medical care to prevent loss of life or aggravation of physical or psychological illness or injury.

R. "Federal aviation regulations (FAR)" means regulations promulgated by the federal aviation administration of the U.S. department of transportation, governing the operation of all aircraft within the United States.

S. "Level of service" means the highest level at which the air ambulance service is certified to function on a 24 hours a day, seven days a week basis.

T. "Medical control" means supervision, provided by or under the direction of physicians to providers by written protocol and/or direct communication.

U. "Medical direction" means guidance or supervision provided by a physician to a provider or emergency medical services system and which includes authority over and responsibility for emergency medical dispatch, direct patient care and transport of patients, arrangements for medical control and all other aspects of patient care delivered by a provider.

V. "Medical direction committee" means a committee of physicians and emergency medical technicians, appointed by the secretary of health to advise the bureau on all matters relating to medical control and medical direction.

W. "Medical director" means a physician who has the responsibility for oversight of patient care of an EMS system or EMS provider service, including providing for or ensuring the medical control of emergency medical technicians, the development, implementation, and evaluation of medical protocols, and quality assurance activities.

X. "Physician" means a doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathy who is licensed or otherwise authorized to practice medicine or osteopathic medicine in New Mexico.

Y. "Protocol" means a predetermined, written medical care plan and includes standing orders.

Z. "Provider" means a person who has been licensed by the appropriate agency to provide patient care at the ALS, critical or specialty care level.

AA. "Regional office" means an emergency medical services planning and development agency formally recognized and supported by the bureau.

BB. "Secretary" means the secretary of health.

CC. "Service" means a certified air ambulance service authorized to operate in the state of New Mexico under these rules.

DD. "Specialty care" means care and treatment that exceeds the advanced life support level of care, as authorized by regulation. The specialty care mission shall consist of at least one specialty care provider and at least one additional provider which shall be licensed at or above the ALS level of care, and/or specifically trained in the area of care required. Additional providers may be added as necessary.

EE. "Specialty care provider" means a caregiver appropriately trained and licensed to provide patient care as defined by the mission.