R426-10-1600. Medical Operations Policies and Procedures  


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  •   (1) A detailed manual of policies and procedures shall be available for reference in the flight coordination office and available for inspection by the Department to assist with EMS system planning and resource coordination efforts.

      (2) Personnel shall be familiar and comply with policies contained within the manual, which shall include all of the following:

      (a) procedures for acceptance of requests, referrals, and/or denial of service for medically related reasons;

      (b) a written description of the geographical boundaries and features for the service area, and a copy of the service area map;

      (c) scheduled hours of operation;

      (d) criteria for the medical conditions and indications or medical contraindications for flight;

      (e) medical communication procedures, including but not limited to medically-related dispatch protocol, call verification, and advisories to the requesting party, to include procedures for informing requesting party of flight procedures, anticipated time of aircraft patient arrival, or cancellation of flight;

      (f) criteria regarding acceptable destinations based upon medical needs of the patient;

      (g) non-aviation safety procedures for medical crew assignments and notification, including rosters of medical personnel;

      (h) written policy that ensures that air medical personnel shall not be assigned or assume cockpit duties concurrent with patient care duties and responsibilities;

      (i) written policy that directs air ambulance personnel to honor a patient request for a specific service or destination when the circumstances will not jeopardize patient safety;

      (j) medical communications procedures;

      (k) flight cancellation and referral procedures;

      (l) mutual aid procedures;

      (m) a written plan that addresses the actions to be taken in the event of an emergency, diversion, or patient crisis during transport operations;

      (n) patient tracking procedures that shall assure air/ground position reports at intervals not to exceed fifteen (15) minutes (inflight) and forty-five (45) minutes while landed on the ground;

      (o) policy for delineating methods of maintaining medical communications during power outages and in disaster situations; and

      (p) written procedures governing the licensed air ambulance provider's medical complaint resolution process and protocols. At a minimum, the licensed air ambulance provider shall designate personnel responsible for its dispute resolution process and provide the protocols it shall follow when investigation, tracking, documenting, reviewing, and resolving the complaint. The licensed air ambulance provider's complaint resolution procedures shall emphasize resolution of complaints and problems within a specified period of time.