SECTION 310:641-11-13. Specialty care medical control requirement

(a)   Each specialty care ambulance service licensed in Oklahoma that initiates and responds to interfacility calls within the state shall have a physician medical director who is a fully licensed, non-restricted Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or a Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.) by the State of Oklahoma.

(b)   Licensed ambulance services will have a plan or policy that describes how the agency will address a sudden lapse of medical direction, such as a back-up medical director, that is used to ensure coverage when the medical director is not available.

(1)   The Department shall be notified the next business day of any lapse or change of medical direction by the respective agency. If the agency has made arrangements for a back-up medical director or an immediate replacement, then a lapse has not occurred.

(2)   In the event of a lapse in medical direction; in that, there is no a medical director providing the authority for medical interventions for an agency's certified and licensed personnel, the agency will, pursuant to O.S. Section 63-1-2506:

(A)   cease all operations involving patient care, and

(B)   implement mutual aid plans to ensure requests for service receive responses until the agency is able to implement their plan or policy for substitution or back-up medical direction.

(c)   The medical director shall:

(1)   be accessible, knowledgeable, and actively involved in quality assurance and the educational activities of the agency's personnel and supervise a quality assurance (QA) program by either direct involvement or appropriate designation and surveillance of the responsible designee(s). The appointment of a designee does not absolve the medical director of their responsibility of providing oversight.

(2)   Provide a written statement to the Department, which includes:

(A)   an agreement to provide medical direction and establish treatment protocols and the agency specific scope of practice for all certified and licensed agency personnel;

(B)   the physician's primary practice address or home address if the physician does not have a practice, and email address(es);

(C)   an OBNDD registrant number or appropriate state equivalent as appropriate;

(D)   current Oklahoma medical license;

(E)   appropriate training and experience in the types of patients the service will be transporting. Training may include board training and appropriate certifications or supplemental training;

(F)   the agency's on-line and/or off line specific licensure level medical protocols with medication formulary for patient care techniques. Protocols shall include medication to be used, treatment modalities for patient care procedures, and appropriate security procedures for controlled dangerous substances;

(G)   attendance or demonstrated participation in:

(i)   medical director training provided by the Department subject to the availability of funding. Verification of attendance or participation will be maintained at the agency; and

(ii)   one hour of continuing education specific to providing medical oversight to EMS providers and agencies each year, provided by the Department subject to the availability of funding.

(H)   A physician may be the medical director for more than one (1) service.

[Source: Added at 33 Ok Reg 1529, eff 9-11-16]