RESOURCES
EMD Model Legislation and Model Rules and Regulations
Over the last 25 years it has become widely recognized that the person who takes a telephone request for emergency medical assistance must be able to do more than take the address of the incident and then call the ambulance personnel on the radio and tell them where to go.
The modern Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) must be able to quickly identify the seriousness of the problem, dispatch the appropriate response (from a single ambulance with no lights-and-siren to the 'cavalry': police, fire truck, paramedics, and ambulance with sirens blaring), and provide life-sustaining medical instructions to the caller when necessary.
The EMD has become a medical professional that makes medical decisions about what care the patient needs, e.g., what medical resources to send to the patient, and a teacher of medical care over the telephone, what to do or not to do.
States regulate all other medical professionals for the purpose of assuring the public that those that provide the service are properly trained and supervised. The Academy's Model EMD Legislation Task Force prepared the following document as a model that a State or Province can use to provide that same level of assurance for Emergency Medical Dispatchers and the agency that provides Emergency Medical Dispatch Services to the public.
Purpose of the Legislation
The legislation requires all agencies who accept calls for EMS assistance from the public and/or dispatch emergency medical personnel to be certified and have an Emergency Medical Dispatch Priority Reference System (EMDPRS) used by certified Emergency Medical Dispatchers.
Goal of the Legislation
- To provide for the establishment of minimum standards to be met by those providing Medical Dispatch services in the State [Territory, Province] so as to protect and promote the health and safety of the people.
- To establish standards for the training, continuing education, certification, recertification, protocol use and compliance, medical direction and oversight, and quality assurance, improvement, and management of dispatchers certifying as Emergency Medical Dispatchers within the State [Territory, Province].
EMD Model Legislation
The model legislation package approved by the National Academy of EMD contains the provisions for each State to regulate the individuals and agencies providing Emergency Medical Dispatch services to its citizens. The diversified Emergency Medical Dispatch Priority Reference System (EMDPRS) protocols used by EMDs today require specific training and knowledge in their proper use, therefore, the emergency medical dispatcher wishing certification must receive formal training in the specific EMDPRS that is used for the certification being sought and as used within the employing emergency medical dispatch agency.
The document contains various areas and elements, all of which are deemed essential to ensuring a complete process that ultimately results in the correct performance of EMDs and program management by EMD-provider agencies.
A complete process as defined therein, must meet all applicable national standards for safe, efficient, and effective dispatch patient evaluation, patient care, and response decision-making as well as the equally safe, efficient, and effective deployment of EMS and public safety trained personnel and vehicles. Contact the Academy for more information.
States and Territories with Laws Regulating Emergency Dispatch
The NAED tracks states that have code that stipulates actions that must be taken to incorporate and improve emergency dispatch systems. The following table the data collected from talking to public safety personnel and researching public safety code available on the Internet. While we strive to stay as current as possible, we certainly welcome your additions or clarifications. You can send the information to NAED Associate Director Carlynn Page, at carlynn.page@emergencydispatch.org.
As you will note the information is divided into three columns: the state and the type of regulation the respective state has developed, a summary of the regulation, and its effective date. A brief table following the summary of regulations provides web sites where you can go to find more information.
| State | Regulation | Effective Date |
| Alaska Certification and Training |
Sec. 18.08.084. Certificate required. (a) One may not represent oneself, nor may an agency or business represent an agent or employee of that agency or business, as an emergency medical dispatcher, emergency medical technician, or emergency medical technician instructor certified by the state unless the person represented is certified for that occupation under AS 18.08.082.7 AAC 26.655. Emergency medical dispatcher medical director (a) The medical director for emergency medical service dispatch services using emergency medical dispatchers (EMD's) shall (1) approve an emergency medical dispatch priority reference system; the system must include caller interrogation questions, pre-arrival EMS instructions, and protocols matching the dispatcher's evaluation of severity of injury or illness and the number of victims with vehicle response modes and configurations; (2) provide indirect supervision of medical triage decisions and treatment instructions provided by EMD's; (3) periodically review on at least a monthly basis a sample of medical triage decisions and treatment instructions provided by EMD's to callers. (b) The medical director of the emergency medical dispatcher services may be the medical director of an ambulance service dispatched by the same agency or business. | 1996 |
| California Training |
Health and Safety Code Sec. 1797.220. The local EMS agency, using state minimum standards, shall establish policies and procedures approved by the medical director of the local EMS agency to assure medical control of the EMS system. The policies and procedures approved by the medical director may require basic life support emergency medical transportation services to meet any medical control requirements including dispatch, patient destination policies, patient care guidelines, and quality assurance requirements | 2006 |
| Connecticut EMD |
CHAPTER 518a requires each public safety answering point, public safety agency, or regional emergency telecommunications center performing emergency medical dispatch to establish and maintain an emergency medical dispatch program. Each program must include, among other elements, medical interrogation, dispatch prioritization, and pre-arrival instructions in connection with 9-1-1 calls requiring emergency medical dispatch. | 2000 |
| Delaware EMD |
TITLE 16 Health and Safety Emergency Services CHAPTER 100. 911-Enhanced Emergency Number Service§ 10006. Establishment of 911-Emergency Medical Dispatch System.(a) There is hereby established a statewide 911 Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) System whereby all 911 Emergency Report Centers in this State providing emergency medical dispatch shall, through a contract with the Department of Safety and Homeland Security:(1) Provide systematized caller interrogation questions; systematized prearrival instruction; and use and adhere to State EMD dispatch protocols matching the dispatchers evaluation of injury or illness severity with vehicle response mode and configuration;(2) Electronically collect data regarding calls for assistance and all times related thereto, EMD dispatch protocol information, and ANI/ALI information;(3) Measure all time increments in increments of seconds;(4) Electronically transfer all required information collected to a central database maintained by OEMS on a real time basis;(5) Use computerized case entry, case management and quality inspection software approved by OEMS;(6) Have the capability of handling multiple (2 or more) calls simultaneously, including the ability to provide prearrival instructions consistent with the medical protocols. This capability must exist 24 hours per day throughout the entire year; and(7) Have the capability to one-button transfer all data related to a call for medical assistance to the county PSAPs and must utilize that capability. Specifically, when a local PSAP determines that a call for assistance requires ALS, an immediate one-button transfer of all data must be made to the county PSAP. The transferred data must include the first call pickup time (time call received by local PSAP) and the time the local PSAP transferred the call to the EMD.(8) Be accredited by the National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch (NAEMD) by August 1, 2003.(b) All 911 Emergency Report Centers in this state receiving 911 calls and transferring them to a center providing emergency medical dispatch shall, through a contract with the Department of Safety and Homeland Security:(1) Electronically collect data regarding calls for assistance including all times related thereto and ANI/ALI information;(2) Measure all time increments in increments of seconds; and(3) Have the capability to one-button transfer all data related to a call for medical assistance to the county PSAPs and must utilize that capability. The transferred data must include the first call pickup time (time call received by local PSAP) and the time the local PSAP transferred the call to the EMD. (72 Del. Laws, c. 137, § 27; 74 Del. Laws, c. 1, § 1; 74 Del. Laws, c. 110, § 138.) | 2006 |
Florida EMD |
Defines emergency medical dispatch and describes the function of utilizing emergency medical dispatch protocols. | 2008 |
| Guam EMS Plan |
10GCA Health and Safety Chapter 84 Health and Safety § 84121. Guam Emergency 911 Telephone Communications SystemsThe Legislature finds that there is a critical need for unified direction and administration to resolve the current fragmented, referral type service, for training of the Emergency 911 calltakers, and a need for funding to include training, additional personnel, and additional emergency 911 communications equipment. As defined: (e) Emergency 911 Telephone Dispatcher is an individual trained in emergency Medical Dispatching and Telecommunications whose primary responsibility is to receive, prioritize and dispatch emergency medical, rescue and public safety personnel; and interrogate and provide pre-arrival instructions to callers. |
2006 |
Hawaii and Training |
Chapter 72 - State Comprehensive Emergency Medical Services System §11-72-16 Communications Each county communications system shall include a central emergency medical services dispatch center responsible for receiving and coordinating all requests for emergency medical services and for providing liaison with other public safety and emergency response systems in order to provide the most effective and efficient management of the immediate problem. Chapter 321-299 Requires the Hawaii Department of Health to develop standards for emergency medical service instructors including for those teaching emergency medical dispatch personnel. |
1985 and 2008 |
| Illinois Training and Protocol |
(210 ILCS 50/3.70)Sec. 3.70. Emergency Medical Dispatcher.(a) "Emergency Medical Dispatcher" means a person who has successfully completed a training course in emergency medical dispatching course meeting or exceeding the national curriculum of the United States Department of Transportation in accordance with rules adopted by the Department pursuant to this Act, who accepts calls from the public for emergency medical services and dispatches designated emergency medical services personnel and vehicles. The Emergency Medical Dispatcher must use the Department-approved emergency medical dispatch priority reference system (EMDPRS) protocol selected for use by its agency and approved by its EMS medical director. This protocol must be used by an emergency medical dispatcher in an emergency medical dispatch agency to dispatch aid to medical emergencies which includes systematized caller interrogation questions; systematized prearrival support instructions; and systematized coding protocols that match the dispatcher's evaluation of the injury or illness severity with the vehicle response mode and vehicle response configuration and includes an appropriate training curriculum and testing process consistent with the specific EMDPRS protocol used by the emergency medical dispatch agency. | 2002 |
| Indiana Certification |
IC 16-31-3.5 Chapter 3.5. Emergency Medical Dispatch Sec. 3. (a) After December 31, 2006, an individual may not furnish, operate, conduct, maintain, or advertise services as an emergency medical dispatcher or otherwise be engaged as an emergency medical dispatcher unless that individual is certified by the commission as an emergency medical dispatcher.In addition, rules of the regulation require that dispatch agencies and dispatchers must have training from a commission-approved program (Priority Dispatch, Power Phone or APCO). If someone did not want one of those three, they could come up with their own as long as it meets the National Highway Traffic Standards. | 2006 |
| Iowa Training |
501-13.2 requires all those employed primarily as telecommunicators after July 1, 1998, must successfully complete an approved basic training course within one year of employment. A telecommunicator is defined as a person who receives requests for, or dispatches requests to, emergency response agencies that include, but are not limited to, law enforcement, fire, rescure, and emergency medical agencies. | 1996 |
Kentucky Training |
Kentucky code requires completion of telecommunications academy for appointment as a CJIS telecommunicator. The coursed must consist of not less than 40 hours of instruction or training in the techniques of emergency services communication. | 2006 |
| Maine EMD |
Act To Implement Emergency Medical Dispatch Services for Beginning January 1, 2007, a person may not provide emergency medical dispatch services unless the person is certified as an emergency medical dispatcher. |
2005 |
| Maryland Education |
Title 30 Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Subtitle 04 Emergency Medical Services Education Programs and CoursesChapter 04 Emergency Medical Dispatcher Education Programs(code provides guidelines for EMD education courses) | 2001 |
Massachusetts EMD |
Chapter 6A: Section 18B (Government administration) Emergency telecommunications board is responsible for the certification requirements of enhanced 911 telecommunicators including, but not limited to, emergency medical dispatch and quality assurance of emergency medical dispatch programs; standards requiring PSAPs to have certified emergency medical dispatch personnel or to provide emergency medical dispatch through a certified emergency medical dispatch resource | 2008 |
Michigan
Training |
Public Act 78 created a statewide 9-1-1 dispatcher training fund in Michigan through a one and a half-cent distribtuion of the wireless 9-1-1 surcharge; however, there are no minimum standards for basic telecommunicator training. | 1999 |
Minnesota |
Emergency Telecommunicatins Systems Act defines "Essential employee" to include firefighters, peace officers subject to licensure under sections 626.84 to 626.863, 911 system and police and fire department public safety dispatchers. | 2008 |
Missouri
Training |
Chapter 650 Department of Public Safety; Section 650.340 The "911 Training and Standards Act" lists the initial training requirements for police, fire, EMD, and joint communications center telecommunicators. | 2008 |
Nevada Training |
NRS 450B.063 defines emergency as a person who: Has completed a training program in emergency medical dispatching which has been approved by the board; and Has been certified as having satisfactorily completed such a training program by an entity approved by the board to provide such training. |
1993 |
New Hampshire Training |
Department of Safety is responsible for licensing emergency medical care providers, emergency medical service units, emergency medical service instructor/coordinators, emergency medical service training agencies, emergency medical services dispatchers, and emergency medical service vehicles, including wheelchair vans for hire. | 1999 |
Ohio Training |
Ohio Rev. Code § 145.012, 307.052 et seq., and 4765.01 et seq. (1996) establishes the scope of practice of a first responder as one who is authorized to provide limited emergency medical services to patients until the arrival of an emergency medical technician and who must receive, unless communications fail, authorization before performing other services specified in the board's rules. The act extends civil immunity to first responders similar to the immunity of other emergency medical technicians. |
1996 |
Pennsylvania Standards |
State law provides that e mergency medical dispatch protocols will be provided by all communications centers. Due to the existence of various EMD programs, we recommend that each dispatch center utilize the quality assurance process associated with the program that it is licensed to use. Approval of the program by the Pennsylvania Department of Health is a requisite. | 2000 |
| Tennessee Training |
Rules of Department of Commerce and Insurance Emergency Communications Board, Chapter 0780-6-2, Dispatcher Training Regulations Establishes minimum requirements for the training of and course of study for each emergency call taker or public safety dispatcher who receives an initial or transferred 911 call from the public. | 2005 |
Utah Oversight |
Consistent with federal law, the department is the lead agency for coordinating the statewide emergency medical service communication systems under which emergency medical personnel, dispatch centers, and treatment facilities provide medical control and coordination between emergency medical service providers. | 1999 |
| Virginia EMD Program |
Chapter 412 Sec. 32.1-111.3 Statewide Emergency Medical Care SystemEstablishes and maintains a program to improve dispatching of emergency medical services including establishment of and support for emergency medical dispatch training, accreditation of 911 dispatch centers, and public safety answering points. | 2006 |
West Virginia Training |
As a condition of continued employment, persons employed to dispatch emergency calls shall successfully complete a forty-hour nationally recognized training course for dispatchers within one year of the date of their employment; except that persons employed to dispatch emergency calls prior to the effective date of this subsection, as a condition of continuing employment, shall successfully complete such a course not later than the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-five. |
Links
| State | Link |
| Alaska | Click Here |
| California | Click Here |
| Connecticut | Click Here |
| Delaware | Click Here |
| Florida | Click Here |
| Guam | Click Here |
| Hawaii | Training Click Here |
| Illinois | Click Here |
| Indiana | Click Here |
| Iowa | Click Here |
| Kentucky | Click Here |
| Maine | Click Here |
| Maryland | Click Here |
| Massachusetts | Click Here |
| Michigan | Click Here |
| Minnesota | Click Here |
| Missouri | Click Here |
| Nevada | Click Here |
| New Hampshire | Click Here |
| Ohio | Click Here |
| Pennsylvania | Click Here |
| Tennessee | Click Here |
| Utah | Click Here |
| Virginia | Click Here |
| West Virginia | Click Here |
Legislation - Privacy Rules and Emergency Medical Dispatch
Editor's Note: The following information about emergency medical dispatch and privacy concerns of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is taken from an article available on the NAED web site. We provide the introduction to clarify the major issues heard from our members.
HIPAA: The Intersection of Patient Privacy with Emergency Dispatch
By Douglas M. Wolfberg, Stephen R. Wirth, & Cindy R. Staffelbach, Esquires
The Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) has ushered in a new era of privacy with respect to patient information. The dense and complex HIPAA Privacy Rule, which went into enforcement on April 14, 2003, has left many communications centers and emergency dispatch agencies pondering how HIPAA may-or may not-affect them. Does HIPAA directly affect your dispatch agency? At the risk of perpetuating the, "why can't you just give me a straight answer" lawyer stereotype, the answer is simply, "it depends!" First, let us address three of the top HIPAA/dispatch myths that have arisen.
Myth No. 1:
Dispatch centers can't give out any identifiable information over the radio.
Fact:
HIPAA doesn't prevent dispatch centers from communicating all information necessary for EMS response and treatment to EMS agencies. While patient names shouldn't be given out unless truly necessary, a dispatch center may transmit any information necessary to facilitate the EMS treatment of a patient.
Myth No. 2:
Ambulance services are violating HIPAA if they give patient information to the hospital over the radio.
Fact:
HIPAA permits any and all treatment-related disclosures of patient information between health care providers. Ambulances are freely permitted to give patient information to hospitals over the radio for treatment purposes.
Myth No. 3:
Dispatch centers must convert all communications equipment to digital or institute new privacy technologies so that people with scanners can no longer hear radio dispatches.
Fact:
HIPAA does not prohibit dispatch centers from communicating with ambulance services, which is necessary for response and patient treatment, even though everyone in "scannerland" can listen in! These are called "incidental disclosures" under HIPAA, meaning they are legitimate disclosures with unavoidable side-effects, and are permissible under HIPAA.
page updated February 4, 2008
