SENATE BILL REPORT

                           ESHB 1541

     AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES,

                         MARCH 25, 1993

Brief Description:  Modifying emergency medical technician recertification.

SPONSORS: House Committee on Health Care (originally sponsored by Representatives Orr, Flemming, King, Dellwo and Mielke)

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended. 

     Signed by Senators Talmadge, Chairman; Wojahn, Vice Chairman; Deccio, Erwin, Franklin, Fraser, Hargrove, McAuliffe, McDonald, Moyer, Prentice, Sheldon, and Winsley.

Staff:  Scott Plack (786‑7409)

Hearing Dates: March 22, 1993; March 25, 1993

BACKGROUND:

The Secretary of Health is required to develop minimum standards for the training of emergency medical personnel (EMTs) and first responders.  This includes adopting rules on curriculum and training content; approving training programs; establishing the period of state certification; developing procedures for certification, recertification, decertification and modification of certificates; and establishing reciprocity procedures with other state or national certifying agencies. 

Emergency medical personnel are currently required to be certified triennially by the Department of Health.  For the purposes of recertification, both a written and practical examination are given.  However, if the applicant has passed a written examination and has completed a program of ongoing training and evaluation, no practical examination is required.

County medical program directors develop procedures for the out-of-hospital emergency care rendered by EMTs and first responders.

SUMMARY:

Provisions requiring a written or practical examination are repealed.  The Secretary of Health is directed to adopt requirements for ongoing training and evaluation, as approved by the county medical program directors, and include the appropriate evaluation of individual skills.  EMTs, first responders and other emergency medical service personnel may request a written or practical examination in lieu of meeting training and evaluation requirements.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED SENATE AMENDMENT:

In order to avoid meeting training and evaluation requirements, emergency medical services personnel must take both a written and practical examination.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  available

TESTIMONY FOR:

Requiring a written examination for recertification causes hardships for some emergency medical services personnel in remote areas.  The use of effective ongoing training and evaluation as required in the bill will assure that these personnel maintain their technical skills.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Susie Tracy, Washington State Medical Association (pro); Janet Griffin, Department of Health (pro); Ted Rail, WSCFF; Otto Jensen, State Fire Chief (pro)