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1996 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 140
Requesting certain agencies to implement various recommendations of the Joint Subcommittee Studying Certain Emergency Medical Services Training and Governance Issues.

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 8, 1996
Agreed to by the Senate, March 6, 1996

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth's emergency medical services (EMS) system has received national recognition for excellence; and

WHEREAS, over the years, the funding, staffing, and training of emergency medical services have been, at various times, important issues, e.g., additional funds were provided within recent years through the "Two-For-Life" program; and

WHEREAS, although certain densely populated areas have switched to paid or municipally operated emergency medical services, the majority of rural areas and many urban areas are still served primarily by volunteer squads; and

WHEREAS, there has been disagreement on the proper and most appropriate use of emergency medical services funds and, among emergency medical services personnel, about the rigor and frequency of and access to necessary training; and

WHEREAS, recently, controversy has occurred within the EMS community concerning the governance of the emergency medical services system, specifically the size and composition of the Advisory Board; and

WHEREAS, high morale, good communications, reasonable compromise, and strong cooperation are vital ingredients for the maintenance of the quality and efficiency of Virginia's emergency medical services system; and

WHEREAS, the Joint Subcommittee Studying Certain Emergency Medical Services Training and Governance Issues has addressed the concerns that it was charged to review; and

WHEREAS, the joint subcommittee has completed its study of the issues and believes that implementation of the following recommendations will enable Virginia to continue its excellent and efficient statewide emergency medical services system; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That certain agencies be requested to implement the recommendations of the Joint Subcommittee Studying Certain Emergency Medical Services Training and Governance Issues. The joint subcommittee recommends that:

1. The State Office of Emergency Medical Services, in collaboration with the State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board, conduct a detailed analysis of regulations proposed by the agency, and determine the potential fiscal and operational impact of such regulations on EMS agencies and providers.

2. The State Office of Emergency Medical Services consider using greater latitude in granting variances from the regulations without compromising the standard of care.

3. The State Board of Health publicize the mechanism for appealing decisions of the State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board.

4. The "Two-for-Life Fund" not be used to fund the Department of State Police medical air evacuation system, and that such Fund be used in accordance with the provisions of subsection A 13 of § 46.2-694, which stipulates the manner in which the moneys from such Fund must be distributed.

5. The State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board examine the requirement for a high school diploma or G.E.D. for ALS certification, and establish specific exemptions for such requirement, upon the consultation with and participation of the operational medical directors in the decision-making process; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the State Board of Health, the State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board, the State Office of Emergency Medical Services, and the Department of State Police submit a progress report on the implementation of the aforementioned recommendations, as respectively assigned, to the Joint Subcommittee Studying Certain Emergency Medical Services Training and Governance Issues by October 1, 1996; and, be it

RESOLVED FINALLY, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates transmit copies of this resolution to the Superintendent of the Department of State Police, the Chairman of the State Board of Health, and the Commissioner of Health and request that he further disseminate copies of this resolution to members of the State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board, the Financial Assistance Review Committee, the staff of the State Office of Emergency Medical Services, and the emergency medical services councils so that they may be apprised of the sense of this body.