BILL REQ. #:  S-3839.3 

Read first time 01/19/2004.   Referred to Committee on Health & Long-Term Care.

     AN ACT Relating to emergency medical service personnel; and reenacting and amending RCW 18.71.205.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 18.71.205 and 1996 c 191 s 55 and 1996 c 178 s 6 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     (1) The secretary of the department of health, in conjunction with the advice and assistance of the emergency medical services licensing and certification advisory committee as prescribed in RCW 18.73.050, and the commission, shall prescribe:
     (a) Practice parameters, training standards for, and levels of, physician trained emergency medical service intermediate life support technicians and paramedics;
     (b) Minimum standards and performance requirements for the certification and recertification of physician's trained emergency medical service intermediate life support technicians and paramedics; and
     (c) Procedures for certification, recertification, and decertification of physician's trained emergency medical service intermediate life support technicians and paramedics.
     (2) Initial certification shall be for a period established by the secretary pursuant to RCW 43.70.250 and 43.70.280.
     (3) Recertification shall be granted upon proof of continuing satisfactory performance and education, and shall be for a period established by the secretary pursuant to RCW 43.70.250 and 43.70.280.
     (4) As used in chapters 18.71 and 18.73 RCW, "approved medical program director" means a person who:
     (a) Is licensed to practice medicine and surgery pursuant to chapter 18.71 RCW or osteopathic medicine and surgery pursuant to chapter 18.57 RCW; and
     (b) Is qualified and knowledgeable in the administration and management of emergency care and services; and
     (c) Is so certified by the department of health for a county, group of counties, or cities with populations over four hundred thousand in coordination with the recommendations of the local medical community and local emergency medical services and trauma care council.
     (5) The Uniform Disciplinary Act, chapter 18.130 RCW, governs uncertified practice, the issuance and denial of certificates, and the disciplining of certificate holders under this section. The secretary shall be the disciplining authority under this section. Disciplinary action shall be initiated against a person credentialed under this chapter in a manner consistent with the responsibilities and duties of the medical program director under whom such person is responsible.
     (6) Such activities of physician's trained emergency medical service intermediate life support technicians and paramedics shall be limited to actions taken under the express written or oral order of medical program directors and shall not be construed at any time to include free standing or nondirected actions, for actions not presenting an emergency or life-threatening condition.
     (7) Any person who is convicted of theft from any ambulance or ambulance service licensed under chapter 18.73 RCW is disqualified from being licensed as emergency medical service personnel. A person who has been charged with theft under chapter 9A.56 RCW from any ambulance or ambulance service licensed under chapter 18.73 RCW is presumptively disqualified, but may file an appeal with the secretary, and may be licensed upon showing by a preponderance of the evidence that the person did not commit the act charged.