POLICY STATEMENT:

St. Joseph Medical Center functions as the Base Station Medical Control for the St. Joseph Medical Center EMS System. BroMenn Regional Medical Center functions as the Base Station Medical Control for the BroMenn Service Area EMS System. Associate Hospitals of the EMS Systems also serve as operational control points. Both Resource Hospitals and Associate Hospitals of the EMS Systems are committed to providing on-line medical control at each of the emergency department operational control points, 24 hours per day. All voice orders shall be given by or under the direction of the EMS Medical Directors, or the EMS MD's designee, who shall be either an ECRN, Pre-hospital RN or Emergency Department Physician.

GOAL/PURPOSE:

To clarify the roles and responsibilities of the Medical Control Physician and ECRN at each operational control point.

POLICY/PROCEDURE:

A. The BroMenn/St. Joseph EMS Systems telecommunications equipment allows both EMS Medical Directors or their designee to monitor all EMT-Basic, EMT-Intermediate and EMT-Paramedic to-hospital transmissions, and all hospital to EMT-B, EMT-I and EMT-P transmissions within the area of both EMS Systems.

B. The telecommunications equipment at all EMS System Hospitals are staffed and maintained 24 hours every day, which includes the VHF radio control points and the required telephone equipment. Only the two Resource Hospitals have UHF telemetry capabilities.

C. All voice order via VHF/UHF radios or on recorded telephone equipment shall be given by or under the direction of the EMS Medical Directors or by the EMS MD's designee, who shall be either an ECRN, a Pre-hospital RN or an Emergency Department Physician.

D. Upon receiving a radio or telephone call at the Operational Control Point, the ECRN shall initiate contract and document all appropriate information. The EMS MD or the designated on-duty emergency department physician shall be notified of the incoming call, as soon as possible. The ECRN has the authority, delegated by the EMS Medical Directors, WITHOUT FIRST NOTIFYING THE EMS MD OR HIS DESIGNEE, to INITIATE EMERGENCY CARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FIELD TREATMENT PROTOCOLS FOR ALL ORDERS MARKED WITH A SINGLE ASTERISK.

E. Once the EMS MD or the Medical Control Physician designee has arrived at the Operational Control Point, the ECRN and Physician shall continue to utilize the field treatment protocols as a patient treatment guide during the EMS call. If the EMS MD or the Medical Control Physician is not readily available, the ECRN has the authority, delegated by the EMS Medical Directors, to CONTINUE EMERGENCY CARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FIELD TREATMENT PROTOCOLS.