Current through Vol. 42, No. 1, September 16, 2024
(a) Each
Oklahoma licensed ambulance service that initiates and responds to calls within
the state shall have a physician medical director who is fully licensed,
non-restricted Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or a Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.) by
the State of Oklahoma.
(b) Each
licensed ambulance service will have a plan or policy that will address a
sudden lapse of medical direction, such as a back-up or reserve medical
director, which is used to ensure coverage when a medical director is not
available.
(1) The Department shall be
notified the next business day of any lapse or change of medical direction by
the respective agency. If the agency has made arrangements for a back-up
medical director or an immediate replacement, then a lapse has not
occurred.
(2) In the event of a
lapse in medical direction; in that, there is not a medical director providing
the authority for medical interventions for an agency's certified and licensed
personnel, the agency will, pursuant to 63 O.S. Section
1-2506
relating to the medical authority to perform medical procedures:
(A) cease all operations involving patient
care,
(B) implement mutual aid
plans to ensure requests for service receive responses until the agency is able
to implement their plan or policy for substitution or back-up medical
direction.
(c) An agency that only provides care within
the Basic Life Support scope of practice, the medical director shall:
(1) hold a valid, non-restricted medical
license,
(2) not be restricted from
obtaining or maintaining OBNDD and DEA registrations for controlled dangerous
substances,
(3) demonstrate
appropriate training and experience in adult and pediatric emergency care.
Demonstrated training and experience may include appropriate board training,
basic life support, or pre-hospital trauma life support courses.
(d) An agency that provides
Intermediate, Advanced, or Paramedic level interventions by individual
protocols or licensure level, the medical director shall:
(1) hold a valid, non-restricted medical
license,
(2) maintain current OBNDD
and DEA registrations for controlled dangerous substances,
(3) demonstrate appropriate training and
competence in adult and pediatric emergency medical services, to include
pediatric and adult trauma. Demonstrated training and experience may include
completed residency training as well as relevant work experience with current
clinical competency.
(e)
The physician medical director of a ground ambulance based in another state
shall not be required to be licensed to practice in the State of Oklahoma, but
shall be fully licensed in good standing in the home state of that ground
ambulance service. Otherwise, the medical director will meet EMS Medical
Director requirements listed in this subchapter.
(f) The physician medical director for an
ambulance service operated by the federal government shall be fully licensed in
good standing in Oklahoma or another state. If not licensed in Oklahoma, the
physician shall be actively employed by the federal agency responsible for the
operation of the ambulance service or emergency medical response
agency.
(g) The physician director
shall:
(1) be accessible, knowledgeable, and
actively involved in quality assurance and the educational activities of the
agency's personnel and supervise a quality assurance (QA) program. The
appointment of a designee to assist in QA and educational activities does not
absolve the medical director of their responsibility for providing
oversight;
(2) provide a written
statement to the Department, which includes:
(A) an agreement to provide medical direction
and establish treatment protocols and the agency specific scope of practice for
all certified and licensed agency personnel;
(B) the physician's primary practice address
or home address if the physician does not have a practice, as well as contact
information such as a phone number and email address(es);
(C) the current OBNDD registrant number or
state equivalent, as appropriate;
(D) current Oklahoma medical
license;
(E) on-line and/or off
line specific licensure level medical protocols with medication formulary for
patient care techniques. Protocols shall include medication to be used,
treatment modalities for patient care procedures, and appropriate security
procedures for controlled dangerous substances;
(3) Attend or demonstrate participation in:
(A) medical director training provided by the
Department subject to the availability of funding. Verification of attendance
or participation will be maintained at the agency;
(B) one hour of continuing education each
year specific to providing medical oversight to EMS providers and agencies each
year, provided by the Department subject to the availability of
funding.
