REPORT TITLE:
Emergency Medical Services


DESCRIPTION:
Requires DOH to integrate emergency aeromedical services into
statewide emergency medical services; and establishes emergency
aeromedical information system and quality improvement committee.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           835
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.
 


BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  Section 321-222, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
 2 amended by adding a new definition to be appropriately inserted
 
 3 and to read as follows:  
 
 4      ""Emergency aeromedical services" means a secondary response
 
 5 system which provides immediate critical care and transport by
 
 6 fixed wing or roto wing aircraft of a patient to a facility that
 
 7 provides specialized medical care."
 
 8      SECTION 2.  Section 321-224, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
 9 amended to read as follows:
 
10      "§321-224  Department of health, functions, duties.  In
 
11 addition to other functions and duties assigned under this part
 
12 the department shall:
 
13      (1)  Regulate ambulances and ambulance services;
 
14      (2)  Establish emergency medical services throughout the
 
15           State, which shall include emergency aeromedical
 
16           services and which shall meet the requirements of this
 
17           part, subject to section 321-228;
 
18      (3)  Consult and coordinate with the University of Hawaii,
 
19           or any other accredited community college, college, or
 

 
Page 2                                                     
                                     S.B. NO.           835
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1           university, or any professional organization that
 
 2           provides emergency medical services training, regarding
 
 3           the training for basic life support personnel and
 
 4           advanced life support personnel, as provided in section
 
 5           321-229;
 
 6      (4)  Collect and evaluate data for the continued evaluation
 
 7           of the state system subject to section 321-230;
 
 8      (5)  Coordinate emergency medical resources and the
 
 9           allocation of the state system's services and
 
10           facilities in the event of mass casualties, natural
 
11           disasters, national emergencies, and other emergencies,
 
12           ensuring linkage to local, state, and national disaster
 
13           plans, and participation in exercises to test these
 
14           plans;
 
15      (6)  Establish, administer, and maintain a communication
 
16           system for the state system;
 
17      (7)  Assist each county in the development of a "911"
 
18           emergency telephone system;
 
19      (8)  Secure technical assistance and other assistance and
 
20           consultation necessary for the implementation of this
 
21           part, subject to section 321-230;
 
22      (9)  Implement public information and education programs to
 
23           inform the public of the state system and its use, and
 

 
Page 3                                                     
                                     S.B. NO.           835
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1           disseminate other emergency medical information,
 
 2           including appropriate methods of medical self-help and
 
 3           first-aid, and the availability of first-aid training
 
 4           programs in the State;
 
 5     (10)  Establish standards and provide training for
 
 6           dispatchers in the state system, and maintain a program
 
 7           of quality assurance for dispatch equipment and
 
 8           operations;
 
 9     (11)  Establish a program that will enable emergency service
 
10           personnel to provide early defibrillation;
 
11     (12)  Establish within the department the emergency medical
 
12           service system for children;
 
13     (13)  Consult with the advisory committee on matters relating
 
14           to the implementation of this part; and
 
15     (14)  Establish and maintain standards for emergency medical
 
16           services course instructor qualifications and
 
17           requirements for emergency medical services training
 
18           facilities."
 
19      SECTION 3.  Section 321-228, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
20 amended to read as follows:
 
21      "§321-228  Emergency medical services; counties.  The
 
22 department of health shall determine, in consultation with the
 
23 advisory committee under section 321-225, the levels of emergency
 

 
Page 4                                                     
                                     S.B. NO.           835
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 medical services which shall be implemented in each county.  The
 
 2 department of health may contract to provide emergency medical
 
 3 services including emergency aeromedical services or any
 
 4 necessary component of a county emergency services system in
 
 5 conformance with the state system.  In the event any county shall
 
 6 apply to the department to operate emergency medical ambulance
 
 7 services within the respective county, the department of health
 
 8 may contract with the county for the provision of such services.
 
 9 The department shall operate emergency medical ambulance services
 
10 or contract with a private agency in those counties which do not
 
11 apply to it under this section.  Any county or private agency
 
12 contracting to provide emergency medical ambulance services under
 
13 this section shall be required by the department to implement
 
14 such services in a manner and at a level consistent with the
 
15 levels determined under this section."
 
16      SECTION 4.  Section 321-230, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
17 amended to read as follows:
 
18      "§321-230  Technical assistance, data collection,
 
19 evaluation.  (a)  The department of health may contract for
 
20 technical assistance and consultation, including but not limited
 
21 to categorization, data collection, and evaluation appropriate to
 
22 the needs of the state system.  The collection and analysis of
 
23 statewide emergency medical services data, including pediatrics,
 

 
Page 5                                                     
                                     S.B. NO.           835
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 trauma, cardiac, medical, and behavioral medical emergencies is
 
 2 for the purpose of improving the quality of services provided.
 
 3      For the purposes of this [section,] subsection,
 
 4 "categorization" means systematic identification of the readiness
 
 5 and capabilities of hospitals and their staffs to adequately,
 
 6 expeditiously, and efficiently receive and treat emergency
 
 7 patients.
 
 8      (b)  The department of health shall establish, administer,
 
 9 and maintain an aeromedical emergency medical services
 
10 information system designed to collect and analyze data to
 
11 measure the efficiency and effectiveness of each phase of an
 
12 aeromedical quality improvement program.  
 
13      The aeromedical emergency medical services information
 
14 system shall serve the emergency health needs of the people of
 
15 the State by identifying system strengths and weaknesses, the
 
16 allocation of resources, and the development of aeromedical
 
17 service standards.  The department of health in the
 
18 implementation of this subsection shall plan, coordinate, and
 
19 provide assistance to all entities and agencies, public and
 
20 private, involved in the system.
 
21      The aeromedical emergency medical services information
 
22 system shall measure, but is not limited to, the following
 
23 factors:
 

 
Page 6                                                     
                                     S.B. NO.           835
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      (1)  Communication and dispatch, including:
 
 2           (A)  Time at initial medical facility for
 
 3                stabilization;
 
 4           (B)  Availability and flight time of fixed-wing
 
 5                emergency aeromedical services to the nearest
 
 6                airport;
 
 7           (C)  Availability and transport time by ground
 
 8                ambulance from hospital to airport;
 
 9           (D)  Flight time of fixed-wing aircraft to Honolulu
 
10                airport; and
 
11           (E)  Availability and transportation by ground
 
12                ambulance to the designated medical center;
 
13      (2)  Medical oversight by physicians; and
 
14      (3)  License and standards of emergency aeromedical
 
15           services.
 
16      (c)  The department of health shall establish an emergency
 
17 aeromedical services quality improvement committee to analyze
 
18 information collected from the aeromedical quality improvement
 
19 performance measures as established by the American College of
 
20 Surgeons, and to recommend system standards and resources to
 
21 improve the Hawaii emergency aeromedical services system.  The
 
22 director of health shall appoint members to the committee, as
 
23 follows:
 

 
Page 7                                                     
                                     S.B. NO.           835
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      (1)  One member from each county representing hospital
 
 2           physicians;
 
 3      (2)  One member representing a major trauma center;
 
 4      (3)  One member specializing in tertiary pediatrics;
 
 5      (4)  One member representing burn center physicians;
 
 6      (5)  One member representing aeromedical services; and
 
 7      (6)  One member representing ground ambulance services."
 
 8      SECTION 5.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed.
 
 9 New statutory material is underscored.
 
10      SECTION 6.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
 
11 
 
12                              INTRODUCED BY:______________________