S-4031.3

SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5900

BySenate Health & Long Term Care (originally sponsored by Senators Van De Wege, Keiser, Conway, Hasegawa, Lovick, Randall, and Saldaña)

AN ACT Relating to creating a provisional certification for emergency medical services providers under chapters 18.71 and 18.73 RCW; amending RCW 18.73.081 and 18.71.205; and adding a new section to chapter 18.71 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 18.71 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Emergency medical services providers who are currently licensed or certified in another state or who hold a current certification from a national certifying agency approved by the department are eligible for a Washington provisional emergency services provider certification.

(2) To be eligible for a Washington provisional emergency services provider certification, the applicant shall:

(a) Be currently licensed or certified in another state and be in good standing with the emergency medical services board of that state or hold a current emergency medical services provider certification from a national certifying agency approved by the department;

(b) Be employed or have a valid employment offer from a Washington emergency medical services agency; and

(c) Be approved for a provisional status from the county medical program director in which the applicant is or will be employed.

(3) If the employer or host agency has:

(a) Fewer than 25 employees holding a current emergency medical technician or paramedic certification or license, up to 20 percent of those employees, rounded to the next whole number, may practice under a provisional certification; or

(b) Twenty-five or more employees holding a current emergency medical technician or paramedic certification or license, up to 10 percent of those employees, rounded to the next whole number, may practice under a provisional certification.

Sec. 2. RCW 18.73.081 and 1993 c 254 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

In addition to other duties prescribed by law, the secretary shall:

(1) Prescribe minimum requirements for:

(a) Ambulance, air ambulance, and aid vehicles and equipment;

(b) Ambulance and aid services; and

(c) Minimum emergency communication equipment;

(2) Adopt procedures for services that fail to perform in accordance with minimum requirements;

(3) Prescribe minimum standards for first responder and emergency medical technician training including:

(a) Adoption of curriculum and period of certification;

(b) Procedures for provisional certification, certification, recertification, decertification, or modification of certificates;

(c) Adoption of requirements for ongoing training and evaluation, as approved by the county medical program director, to include appropriate evaluation for individual knowledge and skills. The first responder, emergency medical technician, or emergency medical services provider agency may elect a program of continuing education and a written and practical examination instead of meeting the ongoing training and evaluation requirements;

(d) Procedures for reciprocity with other states or national certifying agencies;

(e) Review and approval or disapproval of training programs; and

(f) Adoption of standards for numbers and qualifications of instructional personnel required for first responder and emergency medical technician training programs;

(4) Prescribe minimum requirements for liability insurance to be carried by licensed services except that this requirement shall not apply to public bodies; and

(5) Certify emergency medical program directors.

Sec. 3. RCW 18.71.205 and 2015 c 93 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The secretary of the department of health shall prescribe:

(a) Practice parameters, training standards for, and levels of, physician's trained advanced emergency medical technicians and paramedics;

(b) Minimum standards and performance requirements for the certification and recertification of physician's trained advanced emergency medical technicians and paramedics; and

(c) Procedures for provisional certification, certification, recertification, and decertification of physician's trained advanced emergency medical 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 this chapter and chapter 18.73 RCW, "approved medical program director" means a person who:

(a) Is licensed to practice medicine and surgery pursuant to this chapter 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 advanced emergency medical 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 freestanding or nondirected actions, for actions not presenting an emergency or life-threatening condition, except nonemergency activities performed pursuant to subsection (7) of this section.

(7) Nothing in this section prohibits a physician's trained advanced emergency medical technician or paramedic, acting under the responsible supervision and direction of an approved medical program director, from participating in a community assistance referral and education services program established under RCW 35.21.930 if such participation does not exceed the participant's training and certification.

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