36-2201

36-2201. Definitions

In this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:

1. "Administrative medical direction" means supervision of certified emergency
medical technicians by a base hospital medical director, administrative medical director
or basic life support medical director. For the purposes of this paragraph,
"administrative medical director" means a physician who is licensed pursuant to title 32,
chapter 13 or 17 and who provides direction within the emergency medical services system.

2. "Advanced life support base hospital" means a health care institution that
offers general medical and surgical services, that is certified by the director as an
advanced life support base hospital and that is affiliated by written agreement with a
licensed ambulance service, municipal rescue service, fire department, fire district or
health services district for medical direction, evaluation and control of emergency
medical technicians.

3. "Ambulance" means any publicly or privately owned surface, water or air vehicle,
including a helicopter, that contains a stretcher and necessary medical equipment and
supplies pursuant to section 36-2202 and that is especially designed and constructed or
modified and equipped to be used, maintained or operated primarily for the transportation
of individuals who are sick, injured or wounded or who require medical monitoring or aid.
Ambulance does not include a surface vehicle that is owned and operated by a private sole
proprietor, partnership, private corporation or municipal corporation for the emergency
transportation and in-transit care of its employees or a vehicle that is operated to
accommodate an incapacitated or disabled person who does not require medical monitoring,
care or treatment during transport and that is not advertised as having medical equipment
and supplies or ambulance attendants.

4. "Ambulance attendant" means any of the following:

(a) A certified emergency medical technician whose primary responsibility is the
care of patients in an ambulance and who meets the standards and criteria adopted
pursuant to section 36-2204.

(b) A first responder who is employed by an ambulance service operating under the
provisions of section 36-2202, whose primary responsibility is the driving of an
ambulance.

(d) A professional nurse who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 15 and who
meets the state board of nursing criteria to care for patients in the prehospital care
system.

(e) A professional nurse who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 15 and whose
primary responsibility is the care of patients in an ambulance during an interfacility
transport.

5. "Ambulance service" means a person who owns and operates one or more ambulances.

6. "Basic emergency medical technician" means a person who has been trained in
specific emergency care in a basic emergency medical technician program certified by the
director or in an equivalent training program and who is certified by the director as
qualified to render services pursuant to section 36-2205.

7. "Centralized medical direction communications center" means a facility that is
housed within a hospital, medical center or trauma center or a freestanding communication
center that meets the following criteria:

(a) Has the ability to communicate with ambulance services and emergency medical
services providers rendering patient care outside of the hospital setting via radio and
telephone.

(b) Is staffed twenty-four hours a day seven days a week by at least a physician
licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 13 or 17.

8. "Certificate of necessity" means a certificate that is issued to an ambulance
service by the department and that describes the following:

(a) Service area.

(b) Level of service.

(d) Hours of operation.

(e) Effective date.

(f) Expiration date.

(g) Legal name and address of the ambulance service.

(h) Any limiting or special provisions the director prescribes.

9. "Certified emergency medical technician" means an individual who has been
certified by the department as a basic emergency medical technician, an intermediate
emergency medical technician or an emergency paramedic.

10. "Council" means the emergency medical services council.

11. "Department" means the department of health services.

12. "Director" means the director of the department of health services.

13. "Division" means the division of emergency medical services within the
department.

14. "Emergency medical services" means those services required following an accident
or an emergency medical situation:

(a) For on-site emergency medical care.

(b) For the transportation of the sick or injured by a licensed ground or air
ambulance.

(d) In the use of emergency receiving facilities.

(e) In administering initial care and preliminary treatment procedures by certified
emergency medical technicians.

15. "Emergency medical services provider" means any governmental entity,
quasi-governmental entity or corporation whether public or private that renders emergency
medical services in this state.

16. "Emergency paramedic" or "paramedic" means a person who has been trained in an
emergency paramedic training program certified by the director or in an equivalent
training program and who is certified by the director to render services pursuant to
section 36-2205.

17. "Emergency receiving facility" means a licensed health care institution that
offers emergency medical services, is staffed twenty-four hours a day and has a physician
on call.

18. "First responder" as an ambulance attendant means a person who has been trained
under the supervision of a qualified first responder instructor, who provides patient
care and treatment in accordance with the United States department of transportation
first responder curriculum and who meets all of the following requirements:

(a) Has successfully completed the United States department of transportation first
responder national standard curriculum course.

(b) Has successfully completed the national registry first responder examination and
has submitted proof of this fact to the person's current employer.

(c) Successfully completes the United States department of transportation first
responder refresher national standard curriculum at least once every two years.

19. "Fit and proper" means that the director determines that an applicant for a
certificate of necessity or a certificate holder has the expertise, integrity, fiscal
competence and resources to provide ambulance service in the service area.

20. "Intermediate emergency medical technician" means a person who has been trained
in an intermediate emergency medical technician program certified by the director or in
an equivalent training program and who is certified by the director to render services
pursuant to section 36-2205.

21. "Medical record" means any patient record including clinical records,
prehospital care records, medical reports, laboratory reports and statements, any file,
film, record or report or oral statements relating to diagnostic findings, treatment or
outcome of patients, whether written or recorded, and any information from which a
patient or the patient's family might be identified.

22. "Physician" means any person licensed under the provisions of title 32, chapter
13 or 17.

23. "Qualified first responder instructor" means a person tested and certified as a
first responder instructor by the American red cross or the national safety council or an
equivalent organization.

24. "Stretcher van" means a vehicle that contains a stretcher and that is operated
to accommodate an incapacitated or disabled person who does not require medical
monitoring, aid, care or treatment during transport.

25. "Suboperation station" means a physical facility or location at which an
ambulance service conducts operations for the dispatch of ambulances and personnel and
that may be staffed twenty-four hours a day or less as determined by system use.

26. "Trauma center" means any acute care hospital that provides in-house twenty-four
hour daily dedicated trauma surgical services.

27. "Trauma registry" means data collected by the department on trauma patients and
on the incidence, causes, severity, outcomes and operation of a trauma system and its
components.

28. "Trauma system" means an integrated and organized arrangement of health care
resources having the specific capability to perform triage, transport and provide care.

29. "Wheelchair van" means a vehicle that contains or that is designed and
constructed or modified to contain a wheelchair and that is operated to accommodate an
incapacitated or disabled person who does not require medical monitoring, aid, care or
treatment during transport.