R426-10-1300. Pre-arrival and Hand-Off Communications to Hospitals or Emergency Patient Receiving Facilities

  (1) All licensed air ambulance providers shall have a plan in place to transmit significant clinical data to hospital or emergency patient receiving facility medical personnel prior to arrival.

  (2) Licensed air ambulance providers shall start the process for transferring responsibility of patient care during patient transport to reduce the communication load on patient arrival to the facility as early as possible. Transfer of care documentation shall be part of the EMS record.

  (3) Information transmitted to the hospital or the emergency patient receiving facility prior to arrival shall include:

  (a) patient information;

  (b) chief complaint;

  (c) brief patient history;

  (d) condition of patient;

  (e) treatment provided; and

  (f) estimated time of arrival.

  (4) Information at the time of patient hand-off shall include a copy of the patient care report to the hospital or emergency patient receiving facility within 24 hours after the end of the patient transport. If a completed patient care report cannot be left at the facility at the end of the patient transfer to the hospital or emergency patient receiving facility, an abbreviated patient encounter form containing information essential to continued patient care shall be provided.

  (5) Abbreviated Patient Encounter form shall include:

  (a) patient information;

  (b) chief complaint;

  (c) brief patient history;

  (d) allergies (if known);

  (e) time and date of onset of symptoms;

  (f) pertinent physical findings;

  (g) patient medications (if known);

  (h) vital signs;

  (i) air medical treatment, including medications administered, IV fluids, procedures performed, and oxygen delivery; and

  (j) transfer of care (name of air medical crew member to the receiving healthcare professional legibly included in documentation).