Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 45, November 9, 2024
Section 1023.2 - Medical command physician(a)Roles and responsibilities. A medical command physician functions under the direction of a medical command facility medical director and the auspices of a medical command facility. A medical command physician is responsible for: (1) Providing medical command to EMS providers whenever they seek direction.(2) Issuing medical command consistent with Statewide protocols and protocols that are in effect either in the region in which EMS originates or the region from which the EMS providers who are providing EMS begin receiving medical command direction. For good cause, a medical command physician may give medical command that is inconsistent with these protocols.(3) Documenting patient information received from EMS providers and medical command given to EMS providers, including when the medical command physician is providing medical command at the scene.(b)Minimum qualifications. To qualify and continue to function as a medical command physician, an individual shall be serving as a medical command physician immediately prior to February 16, 2010, or:(1) Complete an application for medical command physician certification on a form or through an electronic application process, as prescribed by the Department.(3) Satisfy one of the following: (i) Have successfully completed a residency program in emergency medicine accredited by a residency program accrediting body recognized by the State Board of Medicine or the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine.(ii) Have had an emergency medicine practice in another jurisdiction and establish to the Department that the physician has a combination of training, education and emergency medicine practice that makes the physician qualified to serve as a medical command physician.(iii) Have successfully completed or taught the ACLS course within the preceding 2 years and have completed or taught the ATLS course and either an APLS or PALS course or other program determined by the Department to meet or exceed the standards of these programs.(4) Have an arrangement with a medical command facility to serve as a medical command physician for that facility after receiving certification as a medical command physician.(5) Be practicing as an emergency medicine physician, be participating as a resident in a second or subsequent year in an emergency medicine residency program accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the State Board of Medicine or the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine or have had at least 3 years of experience as a full-time emergency medicine physician.(6) Have a current Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) number or be an emergency medicine resident in an emergency medicine residency program accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the State Board of Medicine or the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine who is authorized to use a hospital's DEA number for practice within the emergency medicine residency program.(7) Have successfully completed the medical command course.(c)Triennial registration. A medical command physician's certification is deemed registered for 3 years. Thereafter, a medical command physician shall triennially register the certification on a form or through an electronic process, as prescribed by the Department. The Department will issue a new registration within 30 days after the application for registration is filed if the application demonstrates that the medical command physician: (1) Maintains licensure as a physician.(2) Has an arrangement with a medical command facility to serve as a medical command physician for that facility.(3) Is practicing as an emergency medicine physician or has had at least 3 years of experience as a full-time emergency medicine physician.(4) Has completed the most recent update or refresher course that the Department provided on Statewide and other applicable Department-approved EMS protocols. This section cited in 28 Pa. Code § 1031.8 (relating to discipline of medical command physicians and medical command facility medical directors).