La. Admin. Code tit. 48 § I-6041

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section I-6041 - General Provisions [Formerly section 6031]

A. Insurance Coverage

1. Each ambulance service/provider shall continuously have in effect the following minimum amounts of insurance:

a. general liability insurance in the amount of $500,000 per occurrence and $500,000 in the aggregate;

b. automobile and/or aircraft liability insurance, as applicable, in the amount of $500,000 per occurrence and $500,000 in the aggregate; and

c. medical malpractice liability insurance in the amount of $500,000.

2. Proof of participation in the Louisiana Patients' Compensation Fund will be accepted as medical malpractice insurance.

3. Each ambulance service/provider shall provide to the Department a certificate of insurance verifying that the ambulance service/provider has the legally mandated insurance coverage.

B. Infection Control and Laboratory Testing

1. An ambulance service must have and comply with a written infection control plan in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.120.

a. The ambulance service/provider shall ensure sufficient infection control equipment and supplies are readily available for each service run.

2. Ambulance services conducting blood glucose or other laboratory testing in the field must have the appropriate Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA) certificate, and shall be in compliance with the provisions of such.

C. Communications

1. All ambulance services shall have a dispatch facility. They may either own and operate their own facility or contract their dispatching to an appropriate emergency communications agency. All dispatch facilities must have 24 hour emergency power.

2. In addition to 911, the ambulance service shall provide the department with a conventional seven digit telephone number for their dispatch facility that may be reached 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

3. All ambulance services shall have a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) type accepted two-way dispatching communications system. They may either own or lease the system.

a. All dispatch center(s) and/or point(s) of dispatch shall have a proper FCC, licensed radio system or an agreement with an FCC, licensed communication provider that does not allow for transmission by unauthorized users, but will provide the capability for the dispatcher, with one transmission, to be heard simultaneously by all of its ambulances/emergency medical response units within that defined geographic service area.

b. Services that utilize multiple transmitters/tower sites shall have simultaneous communications capabilities with all units utilizing a specific transmitter/tower site.

4. All ambulance services shall be compliant with any applicable mandates of the FCC, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, and other applicable governmental agencies.

D. Scanner Usage

1. Pursuant to R.S. 40:1135.7, no commercial ambulance shall make any emergency run based solely on information intercepted by the use of a radio communication scanner or similar device except in cases where human life is threatened, unless that commercial ambulance has been specifically requested to respond to such an emergency. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to prohibit service to a subscriber of a commercial ambulance service.

E. All ambulance services/providers shall maintain a log of all incoming calls received related to patient medical services and in accordance with the ambulance service's/provider's policies and procedures.

F. At any time that the ambulance service/provider has an interruption in services or a change in the licensed location due to an emergency situation, the ambulance service/provider shall notify the Bureau of EMS no later than the next business day.

La. Admin. Code tit. 48, § I-6041

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of the Secretary, Bureau of Health Services Financing, LR 35:477 (March 2009), Amended Department of Health, Office of Public Health, Bureau of Emergency Medical Services, LR 49890 (5/1/2023).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 36:254, R.S. 40:1135.1 and R.S. 40:1135.3