AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, paramedics are underutilized in hospitals and urgent care facilities.
S.B. 1899 is intended to give hospitals and urgent care facilities the option of allowing paramedics to use their skill set in emergency rooms and urgent care clinics if approved by the physician and the facility. S.B. 1899 gives hospitals and urgent care facilities the option to take advantage of the assessment and triage skills paramedics possess.
As proposed, S.B. 1899 amends current law relating to the scope of duties of an emergency medical technician-paramedic and a licensed paramedic.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTION 2 of this bill.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 773, Health and Safety Code, by adding Section 773.0496, as follows:
Sec. 773.0496. SCOPE OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN-PARAMEDIC AND LICENSED PARAMEDIC DUTIES. Authorizes a person who is certified under this chapter as an emergency medical technician-paramedic or a licensed paramedic and who is acting under the authority of a licensed physician, notwithstanding other law, to in accordance with Department of State Health Services rules provide health care services, including advanced life support, in an emergency or urgent care clinical setting, including a hospital emergency room and a freestanding emergency medical care facility.
SECTION 2. Requires the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to adopt any rules necessary to implement Section 773.0496, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2015.