HLS 20RS-563 ENGROSSED
2020 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 164
BY REPRESENTATIVE DAVIS
HEALTH/EMERG MED SERVICE: Provides relative to emergency medical services
protocols in certain life-threatening situations
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 40:1133.14(B)(introductory paragraph) and (2), (C), and (E),
3 1135.3(C)(1)(c), and 1135.8(C)(4)(f), relative to emergency medical services; to
4 provide for duties of emergency medical personnel in certain situations in which the
5 life of a patient is threatened; to provide for protocols for rendering emergency
6 medical services in such situations; to provide for approval of such protocols by
7 emergency medical services medical directors; to provide relative to requirements
8 for licensure as an ambulance provider; to provide relative to requirements for
9 licensure as an air ambulance service; and to provide for related matters.
10Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
11 Section 1. R.S. 40:1133.14(B)(introductory paragraph) and (2), (C), and (E),
121135.3(C)(1)(c), and 1135.8(C)(4)(f) are hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
13 §1133.14. Duties of emergency medical personnel
14 * * *
15 B. An emergency medical services practitioner student may, while he is
16 enrolled in good standing in a state approved state-approved clinical or field
17 internship program under the direct supervision of a physician, registered nurse,
18 paramedic, or other preceptor recognized by the bureau:
19 * * *
20 (2) Administer automated cardiac defibrillation in accordance with rules and
21 regulations promulgated by the bureau in accordance with the Administrative
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HB NO. 164
1 Procedure Act and a protocol that shall be approved by the local parish medical
2 society, or its a designee of the local parish medical society, and the local physician
3 or the EMS medical director.
4 C. In a case of a life-threatening situation as determined by a licensed
5 emergency medical services practitioner, when voice contact with a physician is
6 delayed, or not possible, or when the delay in treatment could endanger the life of
7 the patient, such a person may render services, in accordance with one of the
8 following protocols until voice communication can be established at the earliest
9 possible time:
10 (1) A protocol approved by the EMS medical director who is a
11 board-certified or board-eligible emergency medicine physician.
12 (2) A a protocol that shall be established by the emergency medical services
13 committee or the executive committee of the parish or component medical society,
14 or its designee, until voice communication can be established at the earliest possible
15 time.
16 * * *
17 E. In the event that there is no organized or functional local parish medical
18 society in a parish of the state, the provisions of functions provided for in Paragraph
19 (C)(2) of this Section which require the approval of an emergency medical service
20 protocol by the local parish medical society or its designee may be performed by a
21 the EMS medical director. parish or multi parish medical society which is adjacent
22 or contiguous to the parish without an organized or functional local parish medical
23 society. In the absence of such adjacent or contiguous parish or multi parish medical
24 society, the district medical society shall approve an emergency medical service
25 protocol for the parish without an organized or functional local parish medical
26 society.
27 * * *
28 §1135.3. Ambulance providers; licensure
29 * * *
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HB NO. 164
1 C. An applicant seeking licensure as an ambulance provider shall:
2 (1) Submit a completed application to the department on such forms and
3 including such information and supporting documentation as required by the
4 department. Such information shall include:
5 * * *
6 (c) All medical protocols signed by the physician-medical EMS medical
7 director with their prescribed approvals or by the parish or component medical
8 society.
9 * * *
10 §1135.8. Air ambulance services; licensure
11 * * *
12 C. An applicant seeking licensure as an air ambulance service shall:
13 * * *
14 (4) Submit to and successfully complete an inspection by the department to
15 include the following:
16 * * *
17 (f) A review of medical protocols signed by the physician EMS medical
18 director of the air ambulance service, accompanied by the necessary approvals of or
19 the president or designee of the parish or component medical society in the service's
20 parish of domicile.
21 * * *
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 164 Engrossed 2020 Regular Session Davis
Abstract: Provides relative to emergency medical services in certain life-threatening
situations, protocols for rendering such services, and for the role of EMS medical
directors.
Present law provides that in a case of a life-threatening situation as determined by a licensed
emergency medical services (EMS) practitioner, when voice contact with a physician is
delayed or not possible, or when the delay in treatment could endanger the life of the patient,
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HB NO. 164
the practitioner may render services in accordance with a protocol established by the EMS
committee or executive committee of the parish or component medical society, or its
designee, until voice communication can be established at the earliest possible time.
Proposed law retains present law and adds thereto an authorization for licensed EMS
practitioners to render services in such situations in accordance with a protocol approved by
the EMS medical director who is a board-certified or board-eligible emergency medicine
physician until voice communication can be established at the earliest possible time.
Proposed law amends present law relative to EMS practitioner students administering
automated cardiac defibrillation under certain conditions to provide that protocols for this
activity shall be approved by the local parish medical society or its designee or the EMS
medical director.
Proposed law amends present law to stipulate that if a parish has no organized or functional
local medical society, the requirements of present law and proposed law for approval of an
EMS protocol may be satisfied by the EMS medical director.
Proposed law amends present law relative to licensure of ambulance providers to provide
that applicants for such licensure shall include with their applications all medical protocols
signed by the EMS medical director or by the parish or component medical society.
Proposed law amends present law relative to licensure of air ambulance services to provide
that applicants for such licensure shall submit to and successfully complete an inspection
that includes a review of medical protocols signed by the EMS medical director of the air
ambulance service or the president or designee of the parish or component medical society
in the service's parish of domicile.
(Amends R.S. 40:1133.14(B)(intro. para.) and (2), (C), and (E), 1135.3(C)(1)(c), and
1135.8(C)(4)(f))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Health and Welfare to
the original bill:
1. Amend present law relative to EMS practitioner students administering
automated cardiac defibrillation under certain conditions to provide that
protocols for this activity shall be approved by the local parish medical society
or its designee or the EMS medical director.
2. Revise present law and proposed law to stipulate that if a parish has no organized
or functional local medical society, the requirements of present law and proposed
law for approval of an EMS protocol may be satisfied by the EMS medical
director.
3. Amend present law relative to licensure of ambulance providers to provide that
applicants for such licensure shall include with their applications all medical
protocols signed by the EMS medical director or by the parish or component
medical society.
4. Amend present law relative to licensure of air ambulance services to provide that
applicants for such licensure shall submit to and successfully complete an
inspection that includes a review of medical protocols signed by the EMS
medical director of the air ambulance service or the president or designee of the
parish or component medical society in the service's parish of domicile.
5. Make technical changes.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.