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.
The substitute for S.B. 1899 further clarifies the bill by defining "advanced life support." It further limits the bill by requiring direct supervision and delegation of a physician.
C.S.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. (a) Defines "advanced life support" and "direct supervision."
(b) Authorizes a person who is certified under this chapter as an emergency medical technician-paramedic or a licensed paramedic, is acting under the delegation and direct supervision of a licensed physician, and is authorized to provide advanced life support by a health care facility, notwithstanding other law, to in accordance with the Department of State Health Services rules provide advanced life support in the facility's 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 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.