HB5183 Summary

• Amends the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act to define "critical care transport" as pre-hospital or inter-hospital transportation of critically injured or ill patients by vehicle service providers, including supplies and services beyond EMT-paramedic scope, when medically indicated by a physician, advanced practice nurse, or physician's assistant.

• Allows critical care transport to be provided by Department-approved critical care transport providers (not hospital-owned) using EMT-paramedics with additional training, nurses, or qualified health professionals, or by hospitals using any vehicle service provider.

• Establishes minimum standards for critical care transport providers including personnel staffing and licensure, education and certification, medical equipment and supplies, vehicular standards, treatment and transport protocols, and quality assurance.

• Adds "Reserve Ambulance" definition as a vehicle meeting all Department criteria except medical supply inventory requirements, which can be rapidly transferred from a fully functional ambulance without tools.

• Clarifies that hospitals are not required to be Department-approved critical care transport providers and retain authority to arrange medically appropriate patient transport as determined by physicians, advanced practice nurses, or physician's assistants.