Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 45, November 9, 2024
Section 1025.2 - Accreditation processAn EMS educational institute shall meet the following requirements to be accredited by the Department:
(1) The applicant shall submit an application for accreditation on forms or through an electronic process, as prescribed by the Department, to the regional EMS council having responsibility in the EMS region where the EMS educational institute intends to conduct its primary operations. An applicant for reaccreditation shall submit the application at least 180 days, but not more than 1 year, prior to expiration of the current accreditation.(2) The regional EMS council shall review the application for completeness and accuracy.(3) The regional EMS council has 30 days in which to review the application, conduct an onsite assessment of the institute and determine whether the applicant has satisfied the requirements in § 1025.1 (relating to accreditation and operational requirements of EMS educational institutes).(4) The regional EMS council shall forward to the Department the application for accreditation either with an endorsement or an explanation as to why the application has not been endorsed, citing regulatory standards it believes have not been satisfied.(5) Within 150 days of receipt, the Department will review the application and make one of the following determinations:(i)Full accreditation. The EMS educational institute meets the criteria in § 1025.1, as applicable, and will be accredited to operate for 3 years.(ii)Conditional accreditation. The EMS educational institute does not meet criteria in § 1025.1, as applicable, but the deficiencies identified are deemed correctable by the Department. The EMS educational institute will be allowed to proceed or continue to provide accredited EMS education with close observation by the Department. Deficiencies which prevent full accreditation shall be enumerated and corrected within a time period specified by the Department. Conditional accreditation may not exceed 1 year and may not be renewed.(iii)Nonaccreditation. The institute does not meet criteria in § 1025.1 and the deficiencies identified are deemed to be serious enough to preclude any type of accreditation.(6) An EMS educational institute that has received full or conditional accreditation shall submit status reports to the Department as requested.(7) Prior to and during accreditation, an EMS educational institute is subject to review, including inspection of records, facilities and equipment by the Department. An authorized representative of the Department may enter, visit and inspect an accredited EMS educational institute or a facility operated by or in connection with the EMS educational institute with or without prior notification. The Department may accept the survey results of another accrediting body if the Department determines that the accreditation standards of the other accrediting body are equal to or exceed the standards in this chapter, and that the survey process employed by the other accrediting body is adequate to gather the information necessary for the Department to make an accreditation decision.(8) An EMS educational institute shall advise the Department at least 90 days prior to an intended change of ownership or control of the institute. Accreditation is not transferable to new owners or controlling parties.(9) An EMS educational institute that intends to conduct an EMS educational course in an EMS region under the jurisdiction of a regional EMS council other than that through which it submitted its application for accreditation shall file a written application to amend its accreditation with the regional EMS council having responsibility for the region in which it intends to conduct these courses. That application shall be processed by that regional EMS council and acted upon by the Department within 90 days. This section cited in 28 Pa. Code § 1025.3 (relating to advertising); and 28 Pa. Code § 1031.12 (relating to discipline of EMS educational institutes).