PRINTER'S NO. 594
No. 532 Session of 1989
INTRODUCED BY GLADECK, NAHILL, GEIST, E. Z. TAYLOR, FOX, CIVERA,
DORR, VEON, WOGAN, REBER, TIGUE, BUNT, SAURMAN, CORNELL,
J. L. WRIGHT, FARMER, BELARDI, COY, NOYE, MAIALE, KASUNIC AND
RAYMOND, FEBRUARY 15, 1989
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND WELFARE, FEBRUARY 15, 1989
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of July 3, 1985 (P.L.164, No.45), entitled "An
2 act relating to the prevention and reduction of premature
3 death and disability in this Commonwealth; providing for
4 assistance, coordination and support of the development and
5 maintenance of a comprehensive emergency medical services
6 system and for qualifications, eligibility and certification
7 of emergency medical services personnel and licensing
8 ambulance services; imposing powers and duties on the
9 Department of Health; and making repeals," further providing
10 for the duties of the Secretary of Health, of the
11 Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation and of the emergency
12 medical services councils.
13 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
14 hereby enacts as follows:
15 Section 1. Section 6(f) of the act of July 3, 1985 (P.L.164,
16 No.45), known as the Emergency Medical Services Act, is amended
17 to read:
18 Section 6. Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation.
19 * * *
20 (f) Duty of secretary.--[If the foundation has not begun an
21 accreditation program by June 30, 1985, in accordance with this
22 section, the secretary shall establish a trauma center
1 accreditation program.] The secretary shall consult with the
2 Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation to identify appropriate
3 national standards for field categorization of trauma patients.
4 The secretary shall adopt a nationally recognized field
5 categorization system to be used in each region of this
6 Commonwealth to determine the appropriate patients in need of
7 Level I or Level II trauma care who shall be transported to a
8 Level I or Level II trauma center accredited by the Pennsylvania
9 Trauma Systems Foundation. No emergency medical services region
10 shall receive funding for emergency medical services from the
11 department unless protocols have been adopted for the proper
12 classification and transport of trauma patients consistent with
13 the classification system adopted by the secretary.
14 Section 2. Section 8(c) of the act is amended by adding a
15 paragraph to read:
16 Section 8. Emergency medical services councils.
17 * * *
18 (c) Duties.--Each emergency medical services council shall:
19 * * *
20 (8) Establish trauma patient field categorization
21 protocols and a transport system for trauma patients
22 consistent with the field categorization system adopted by
23 the secretary.
24 Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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