Public Act 098-0608
 
HB2778 EnrolledLRB098 09574 DRJ 39720 b

    AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act
is amended by adding Section 3.87 as follows:
 
    (210 ILCS 50/3.87 new)
    Sec. 3.87. Ambulance service upgrades; rural population.
    (a) In this Section, "rural ambulance service provider"
means an ambulance service provider licensed under this Act
that serves a rural population of 7,500 or fewer inhabitants.
    (b) A rural ambulance service provider may submit a
proposal to the EMS System Medical Director requesting approval
of either or both of the following:
        (1) Rural ambulance service provider in-field service
    level upgrade.
            (A) An ambulance operated by a rural ambulance
        service provider may be upgraded, as defined by the EMS
        System Medical Director in a policy or procedure, as
        long as the EMS System Medical Director and the
        Department have approved the proposal, to the highest
        level of EMT license (advanced life support/paramedic,
        intermediate life support, or basic life support) held
        by any person staffing that ambulance. The ambulance
        service provider's proposal for an upgrade must
        include all of the following:
                (i) The manner in which the provider will
            secure advanced life support equipment, supplies,
            and medications.
                (ii) The type of quality assurance the
            provider will perform.
                (iii) An assurance that the provider will
            advertise only the level of care that can be
            provided 24 hours a day.
            (B) If a rural ambulance service provider is
        approved to provide an in-field service level upgrade
        based on the licensed personnel on the vehicle, all the
        advanced life support medical supplies, durable
        medical equipment, and medications must be secured and
        locked with access by only the personnel who have been
        authorized by the EMS System Medical Director to
        utilize those supplies.
            (C) The EMS System shall routinely perform quality
        assurance, in compliance with the EMS System's quality
        assurance plan approved by the Department, on in-field
        service level upgrades authorized under this Section
        to ensure compliance with the EMS System plan.
        (2) Rural ambulance service provider in-field service
    level upgrade. The EMS System Medical Director may define
    what constitutes an in-field service level upgrade through
    an EMS System policy or procedure. An in-field service
    level upgrade may include, but need not be limited to, an
    upgrade to a licensed ambulance, alternate response
    vehicle as defined by the Department in rules, or
    specialized emergency medical services vehicle.
    (c) If the EMS System Medical Director approves a proposal
for a rural in-field service level upgrade under this Section,
he or she shall submit the proposal to the Department along
with a statement of approval signed by him or her. Once the
Department has approved the proposal, the rural ambulance
service provider will be authorized to function at the highest
level of EMT license (advanced life support/paramedic,
intermediate life support, or basic life support) held by any
person staffing the vehicle.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.