Public Act 098-0881
 
HB5828 EnrolledLRB098 17201 RPS 52293 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 changing Section 3.87 as follows:
 
    (210 ILCS 50/3.87)
    Sec. 3.87. Ambulance service provider and vehicle service
provider 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.
    In this Section, "rural vehicle service provider" means an
entity that serves a rural population of 7,500 or fewer
inhabitants and is licensed by the Department to provide
emergency or non-emergency medical services in compliance with
this Act, the rules adopted by the Department pursuant to this
Act, and an operational plan approved by the entity's EMS
System, utilizing at least an ambulance, alternate response
vehicle as defined by the Department in rules, or specialized
emergency medical services vehicle.
    (b) A rural ambulance service provider or rural vehicle
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 or rural vehicle
    service provider in-field service level upgrade.
            (A) An ambulance operated by a rural ambulance
        service provider or a specialized emergency medical
        services vehicle or alternate response vehicle
        operated by a rural vehicle 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, specialized emergency medical services
        vehicle, or alternate response vehicle. The ambulance
        service provider's or rural vehicle service provider's
        proposal for an upgrade must include all of the
        following:
                (i) The manner in which the provider will
            secure and store 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.
                (iv) A statement that the provider will have
            that vehicle inspected by the Department annually.
            (B) If a rural ambulance service provider or rural
        vehicle 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 environmentally controlled,
        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 or rural vehicle
    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 or rural vehicle 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.
(Source: P.A. 98-608, eff. 12-27-13.)
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.