NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A7503
SPONSOR: Gottfried TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the public health law, in relation to
community paramedicine services provided by emergency medical providers
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: This bill would authorize the prac-
tice of community paramedicine, defined as the practice by emergency
medical technicians (including advanced EMTs) of evaluating, preventing,
or improving health conditions of patients, within the EMT or advanced
EMT's scope of practice, education, and training, in circumstances other
than the initial emergency medical care and transport,
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 - Adds language to Public Health Law section 3000 stating the
intent of community paramedicine programs.
Section 2 - Amends the definition of "medical control" in section 3001
to also apply to community paramedicine.
Section 3 - Adds a definition of "community paramedicine" as_the prac-
tice by an emergency medical technician in the course of his or her work
as an employee or member of an ambulance service or advanced life
support first response service, in a setting other than a general hospi-
tal and under medical control, of evaluating, preventing, or improving
the health condition of an individual, within the scope of practice,
education and training of the emergency medical technician, in circum-
stances other than the initial emergency medical care and transportation
of sick or injured persons (§ 3001 (22).
Section 4 - Authorizes the practice of community paramedicine and Health
Department regulations.
JUSTIFICATION: "Community paramedicine" (CPM) is the provision of
health care by an emergency medical technician (EMT) or advanced EMT in
circumstances other than the initial emergency medical care and trans-
port of sick patients. This may include but is not limited to coordinat-
ing patient care and transportation decisions with other providers;
helping refer frequent EMS users to appropriate services to break the
cycle of relying on EMS calls; using EMS care assessment skills to eval-
uate patients and activate follow-up care; or improving health and safe-
ty conditions for vulnerable patients by evaluating potential hazards in
the patient's home.
This bill authorizes EMTs or advanced EMTs, acting in the course of
their work with emergency medical services, to provide CPM services
within their existing scope of practice and subject to regulation by the
Commissioner. These activities will improve continuity of care between
emergency response and other healthcare providers, helping to avoid
preventable hospitalizations and reduce some patients' overreliance on
emergency calls as their first and only point of contact with the
healthcare system.
A report by the NYS Emergency Medical Services Council (SEMSCO) and
Emergency Medical Advisory Committee (SEMAC) laid out parameters for
authorization of CPM. ("Achieving Mobile Integrated Health Care Though
the Use of Community Paramedicine," Community Paramedicine Technical
Advisory Group, August 2014.) The 2014 Department of Health North Coun-
try Health Systems Redesign Commission also recommended implementation
of CPM for home visits and preventive care.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: New bill
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None
EFFECTIVE DATE: Immediate
