1997 Minnesota Statutes

     144E.16 Ambulance service requirements. 

    Subdivision 1.    Drivers and attendants.  No publicly 
 or privately owned basic ambulance service shall be operated in 
 the state unless its drivers and attendants possess a current 
 emergency care course certificate authorized by rules adopted by 
 the board according to chapter 14.  Until August 1, 1997, a 
 licensee may substitute a person currently certified by the 
 American Red Cross in advanced first aid and emergency care or a 
 person who has successfully completed the United States 
 Department of Transportation first responder curriculum, and who 
 has also been trained to use basic life support equipment as 
 required by rules adopted by the board under subdivision 4 for 
 one of the persons on a basic ambulance, provided that person 
 will function as the driver while transporting a patient.  The 
 board may grant a variance to allow a licensed ambulance service 
 to use attendants certified by the American Red Cross in 
 advanced first aid and emergency care and, until August 1, 1997, 
 to use attendants who have successfully completed the United 
 States Department of Transportation first responder curriculum, 
 and who have been trained to use basic life support equipment as 
 required by rules adopted by the board under subdivision 4, in 
 order to ensure 24-hour emergency ambulance coverage. 

    Subd. 2.    Equipment and staff.  (a) Every ambulance 
 offering ambulance service shall be equipped as required by the 
 board and carry at least the minimal equipment necessary for the 
 type of service to be provided as determined by standards 
 adopted by the board pursuant to subdivision 3. 

    (b) Each ambulance service shall offer service 24 hours per 
 day every day of the year, unless otherwise authorized by the 
 board.  

    (c) Each ambulance while transporting a patient shall be 
 staffed by at least a driver and an attendant, according to 
 subdivision 1.  An ambulance service may substitute for the 
 attendant a physician, osteopath, registered nurse, or 
 physician's assistant who is qualified by training to use 
 appropriate equipment in the ambulance.  Advanced life support 
 procedures including, but not limited to, intravenous fluid 
 administration, drug administration, endotracheal intubation, 
 cardioversion, defibrillation, and intravenous access may be 
 performed by the physician, osteopath, registered nurse, or 
 physician's assistant who has appropriate training and 
 authorization, and who provides all of the equipment and 
 supplies not normally carried on basic ambulances. 

    Subd. 3.    Denial of service prohibited.  An ambulance 
 service shall not deny emergency ambulance service to any person 
 needing emergency ambulance service because of inability to pay 
 or due to source of payment for services if the need develops 
 within the licensee's primary service area.  Transport for the 
 patient may be limited to the closest appropriate emergency 
 medical facility.  

    Subd. 4.    Types of services to be regulated.  (a) The 
 board may adopt rules needed to regulate ambulance services in 
 the following areas: 

    (1) applications for licensure; 

    (2) personnel qualifications and staffing standards; 

    (3) quality of life support treatment; 

    (4) restricted treatments and procedures; 

    (5) equipment standards; 

    (6) ambulance standards; 

    (7) communication standards, equipment performance and 
 maintenance, and radio frequency assignments; 

    (8) advertising; 

    (9) scheduled ambulance services; 

    (10) ambulance services in time of disaster; 

    (11) basic, intermediate, advanced, and refresher emergency 
 care course programs; 

    (12) continuing education requirements; 

    (13) trip reports; 

    (14) license fees, vehicle fees, and expiration dates; and 

    (15) waivers and variances. 

    (b) These rules shall apply to the following types of 
 ambulance service: 

    (1) basic ambulance service that provides a level of care 
 to ensure that life-threatening situations and potentially 
 serious injuries can be recognized, patients will be protected 
 from additional hazards, basic treatment to reduce the 
 seriousness of emergency situations will be administered, and 
 patients will be transported to an appropriate medical facility 
 for treatment; 

    (2) intermediate ambulance service that provides (i) basic 
 ambulance service, and (ii) intravenous infusions or 
 defibrillation or both; 

    (3) advanced ambulance service that provides (i) basic 
 ambulance service, and (ii) advanced airway management, 
 defibrillation, and administration of intravenous fluids and 
 pharmaceuticals.  Vehicles of advanced ambulance service 
 licensees not equipped or staffed at the advanced ambulance 
 service level shall not be identified to the public as capable 
 of providing advanced ambulance service; 

    (4) specialized ambulance service that provides basic, 
 intermediate, or advanced service as designated by the board, 
 and is restricted by the board to (i) less than 24 hours of 
 every day, (ii) designated segments of the population, or (iii) 
 certain types of medical conditions; and 

    (5) air ambulance service, that includes fixed-wing and 
 helicopter, and is specialized ambulance service. 

    Until rules are promulgated, the current provisions of 
 Minnesota Rules shall govern these services. 

    Subd. 5.    Local government's powers.  (a) Local units 
 of government may, with the approval of the board, establish 
 standards for ambulance services which impose additional 
 requirements upon such services.  Local units of government 
 intending to impose additional requirements shall consider 
 whether any benefit accruing to the public health would outweigh 
 the costs associated with the additional requirements. 

    (b) Local units of government that desire to impose 
 additional requirements shall, prior to adoption of relevant 
 ordinances, rules, or regulations, furnish the board with a copy 
 of the proposed ordinances, rules, or regulations, along with 
 information that affirmatively substantiates that the proposed 
 ordinances, rules, or regulations:  

    (1) will in no way conflict with the relevant rules of the 
 board; 

    (2) will establish additional requirements tending to 
 protect the public health; 

    (3) will not diminish public access to ambulance services 
 of acceptable quality; and 

    (4) will not interfere with the orderly development of 
 regional systems of emergency medical care. 

    (c) The board shall base any decision to approve or 
 disapprove local standards upon whether or not the local unit of 
 government in question has affirmatively substantiated that the 
 proposed ordinances, rules, or regulations meet the criteria 
 specified in paragraph (b). 

    Subd. 6.    Drivers.  An ambulance service vehicle shall 
 be staffed by a driver possessing a current Minnesota driver's 
 license or equivalent and whose driving privileges are not under 
 suspension or revocation by any state.  If red lights and siren 
 are used, the driver must also have completed training approved 
 by the board in emergency driving techniques.  An ambulance 
 transporting patients must be staffed by at least two persons 
 who are trained according to subdivision 1 or section 144E.25, 
 one of whom may be the driver.  A third person serving as driver 
 shall be trained according to this subdivision. 

    HIST: 1997 c 199 s 11