R426-10-1100. Coordination of Medical Communications

  (1) All licensed air ambulance providers shall have flights coordinated by designated medical dispatchers or communications specialists.

  (3) Communication specialists are required for processing requests, initiating responses, telecommunications, and assessing the capability for utilizing emergency medical dispatch protocols approved by the Department.

  (4) Air ambulance communications specialists shall have training commensurate with the scope of responsibility given them by the particular licensed air ambulance provider.

  (5) The following requirements shall apply to all air ambulance communications centers:

  (a) Establish and maintain policies and procedures based on state or nationally accepted emergency medical dispatch standards and state or nationally accepted EMS clinical guidelines to aid in directing the daily operation of the air ambulance communications center.

  (b) Coordinate air ambulance deployment activities and communications with primary 911 PSAP call centers and appropriate medical facilities.

  (c) Require its communications specialists to satisfy performance standards that are based on state or nationally accepted emergency medical dispatch standards and state or nationally accepted EMS clinical guidelines.

  (6) At a minimum, the air ambulance communications center's performance standards shall measure a communication specialist's ability to:

  (a) Deploy the appropriate medical resources within the prescribed timeframe established by the communications center's standard operating procedures.

  (b) Provide pertinent information to the appropriate 911 PSAP call center and receive updated information about the incident from the responding units or medical facilities.

  (c) Establish a quality assurance review process that is executed with consistency and objectivity in accordance with internal standards developed by the licensed air ambulance provider.