(A) Abbreviations. For the purpose of this chapter, the following abbreviations shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
AHA. American Heart Association.
CPR. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.
EMD. Emergency Medical Dispatcher.
EMDPRS. Emergency Medical Dispatch Priority Reference System.
EMS. Emergency Medical Services.
EMS-NP. EMS Nurse Practitioner.
EMS-PA. EMS Physician Assistant.
EMT. Emergency Medical Technician.
EMT-D. EMT-Defibrillation.
EMT-I. EMT-Intermediate.
EMT-P. EMT-Paramedic.
EVD. Emergency Vehicle Driver.
MICN. Mobile Intensive Care Nurse.
MR. Medical Responder.
OEMS. Office of Emergency Medical Services.
PreMIS. Pre-hospital Medical Information System.
SOG. Standard Operating Guideline.
(B) Definitions. For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
AIR MEDICAL AMBULANCE. An aircraft specifically designed and equipped to transport patients by air. The patient care compartment of AIR MEDICAL AMBULANCES shall be staffed by medical crew members approved for the mission by the medical director.
AIR MEDICAL PROGRAM. A Specialty Care Transport Program designed and operated for transportation of patients by either fixed or rotary wing aircraft.
ASSISTANT MEDICAL DIRECTOR. A physician, EMS-PA, or EMS-NP who assists the medical director with the medical aspects of the management of an EMS System or EMS Specialty Care.
COMMITTEE. The Lincoln County Emergency Medical Services System Quality Management Committee.
CONTRACT. A formal written agreement between two or more parties, which creates an obligation to provide certain services and benefits to the citizens of the county.
CONVALESCENT AMBULANCE. An ambulance used on a scheduled basis solely to transport patients having a known non-emergency medical condition. CONVALESCENT AMBULANCES shall not be used in place of any other category of ambulance defined in this chapter.
COUNTY. The Board of Commissioners or its designee, the County Manager.
EDUCATIONAL MEDICAL ADVISOR. The physician responsible for overseeing the medical components of approved EMS educational programs in continuing education, basic, and advanced EMS educational institutions.
EMS EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION. Any agency credentialed by the OEMS to offer EMS educational programs.
EMS INSTRUCTOR. A person who is credentialed by the OEMS as a Level I or II EMS Instructor or EMD Instructor and who is approved to instruct or coordinate EMS educational programs.
EMS NON-TRANSPORTING VEHICLE. A motor vehicle dedicated and equipped to move medical equipment and EMS personnel functioning within the scope of practice of EMT-I or EMT-P to the scene of a request for assistance. EMS NON-TRANSPORTING VEHICLES shall not be used for the transportation of patients on the streets, highways, waterways, or airways of the state.
EMS SYSTEM. A coordinated arrangement of resources (including personnel, equipment, and facilities) organized to respond to medical emergencies and integrated with other health care providers and networks, including, but not limited to, public health, community health monitoring activities, and special needs populations.
FRANCHISE. A permit issued by the county to a person for the operation of an ambulance service, a first responder, or other pre-hospital emergency medical assistance organization.
FRANCHISE HOLDER. Any person having been issued a franchise by the county for the operation of an ambulance service, first responder, or other pre-hospital emergency medical organization.
GROUND AMBULANCE. An ambulance used to transport patients with traumatic or medical conditions or patients for whom the need for emergency or non-emergency medical care is anticipated either at the patient location or during transport. GROUND AMBULANCES may be used to transport all types of patients.
MEDIC. An individual who has completed a training program in emergency medical care at least equal to the National Standard Curriculum for Emergency Medical Technician; Basic, Intermediate, or Paramedic as defined by the United States Department of Transportation and hold current license or are registered in the state and are affiliated with the County EMS System.
MEDICAL CREW MEMBER. EMS personnel or other health care professionals who hold current license or are registered in the state and are affiliated with the County EMS System.
MEDICAL DIRECTOR. The physician responsible for the medical aspects of the management of an EMS System or EMS Specialty Care Transport Program.
MEDICAL OVERSIGHT. The responsibility for the management and accountability of the medical care aspects of an EMS System. MEDICAL OVERSIGHT includes physician direction of the initial education and continuing education of EMS personnel; development and monitoring of both operational and treatment protocols; evaluation of the medical care rendered by EMS personnel; participation in system evaluation; and directing, by two-way voice communications, the medical care rendered by the EMS personnel.
MEDICAL RESPONDER. An individual who has completed a training program in emergency medical care at least equal to the National Standard Curriculum for Medical Responders as defined by the United States Department of Transportation and hold current license or are registered in the state and are affiliated with the County EMS System.
MODEL EMS SYSTEM. An approved EMS System that chooses to meet the criteria for and receives this designation by the OEMS.
OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (OEMS). A section of the Division of Facility Services of the State Department of Health and Human Services located at 701 Barbour Drive, Raleigh, North Carolina 27603.
OPERATIONAL PROTOCOLS. The written administrative policies and procedures of an EMS System that provide guidance for the day-to-day operation of the system.
OPERATOR. A person in actual physical control of an apparatus which is in motion or which has the engine running.
PHYSICIAN. A medical or osteopathic physician licensed by the State Medical Board to practice medicine in the state.
PROVIDER. An individual, firm, corporation, or association who engages or professes to engage in the business or service of responding to medical emergencies or transporting patients by means of ground or convalescent ambulance.
QUALITY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE. A committee within an EMS System or Specialty Care Transport Program that is affiliated with a medical review committee as referenced in G.S. § 143-518(a)(5) and is responsible for the continued monitoring and evaluation of medical and operational issues within the system and for improvement of the system.
QUICK RESPONSE VEHICLE (QRV). A motor vehicle dedicated and equipped to move medical equipment and EMS personnel functioning within the scope of practice of EMT-I or EMT-P to the scene of a request for assistance. QRV's are non-transporting vehicles and shall not be used for the transportation of patients on the streets, highways, waterways, or airways of the state.
SYSTEM CONTINUING EDUCATION COORDINATOR. A Level I EMS Instructor within a model EMS system who is responsible for the coordination of EMS continuing education programs.
TREATMENT PROTOCOLS. A written document approved by the medical directors of both the local EMS System and the OEMS specifying the diagnostic procedures, treatment procedures, medication administration and patient-care-related policies that shall be completed by EMS personnel or medical crew members based upon the assessment of a patient.
(Ord. passed 10-6-2003)