RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
ACT 67 (HB 164) 2020 Regular Session Davis
Existing 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,
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.
New law adds 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.
New law, relative to EMS practitioner students administering automated cardiac
defibrillation under certain conditions, provides that protocols for this activity shall be
approved by the local parish medical society, its designee, or the EMS medical director.
New law provides that if a parish has no organized or functional local medical society, the
requirements of existing law and new law for approval of an EMS protocol may be satisfied
by the EMS medical director.
New law, relative to licensure of ambulance providers, provides 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.
New law, relative to licensure of air ambulance services, provides 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.
Effective Aug. 1, 2020.
(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))