Minutes 02-02-2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

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review and evaluation of patient outcomes and quality management peer review that follow the guidelines of the US DOT NHTSA First Responder Refresher "National Standard Curriculum" for medical responder personnel; and o Written policies and procedures to address management of the EMS System.2 The Department of Health and Human Services may deny, suspend or revoke the approval of an EMS System for failure to comply with the requirements set forth above.3 EMS Systems are also required to have the following components to assure medical oversight of the system: a medical director, written protocols for adult and pediatric patients, and emergency medical dispatch system, an EMS Peer Review Committee whose membership is defined in G.S. 131E-155(6b) and written procedures for EMS personnel to obtain on-line medical direction. Both the state statute and the North Carolina Administrative Code continue to require the County provide oversight of personnel performing responders services within the EMS system. So while fire departments are not required to have a franchise under the Ordinance, state law and regulations do require that personnel who are first/medical responders be credentialed and comply with the policies, practices and protocols of the EMS system. There were no substantive amendments to the sections governing EMS personnel (See Section VII, Standards for Personnel). Frank Montes de Oca said that the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Committee ("Committee") is not a citizens' advisory board; it is a technical advisory board. The proposed members of the Committee, through their positions either as employees of Orange County or through services contracted with the County have the medical responsibility either to the Board of County Commissioners, the Office of EMS, the North Carolina Medical Board or the Board of Health to oversee the medical health of persons within this EMS system. They are credentialed and have the educational, technical and experiential background to recommend, make and implement system wide medical improvements in the EMS System necessary to ensure a high-quality, high-functioning medical care. The only proposed enforcement responsibility of the Committee is to review stays of franchises, and after hearing evidence the Committee may ether remove the stay, provide a recommendation for corrective action or forward a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners for termination or suspension of the franchise. This does not in any way change what is currently or has been required of fire departments within Orange County. Commissioner Gordon made reference to volunteer fire departments and said that there is some language that might need to be changed to clarify the role of fire departments. Annette Moore said that the fire departments have never been under the franchise ordinance. Orange County does not have to grant fire departments a franchise in order for them to operate. The County has a contract with the volunteer fire departments to provide that service. As part of that contract, fire services, first responder, and extrication services are included. She said that on February 161h, staff will bring back an amendment that specifically excludes fire departments. 2 See 10A NCAC 13P .0201. 3 10A NCAC 13P .0701(1)(1)