Senate Bill 21 Summary

• State board of emergency medical, fire, and transportation services must develop guidelines within 90 days for assessment, triage, and transport of stroke patients, consulting with diverse hospital leaders including rural hospitals and comprehensive, primary, and acute stroke ready centers.

• Each emergency medical service organization's medical director or cooperating physician advisory board must establish written stroke patient protocols within 180 days based on state guidelines and after consulting with local hospitals.

• Medical directors must provide annual copies of their stroke protocols to the state board, department of health, and regional directors or advisory boards, which the state board must then make publicly available.

• Emergency medical service organizations must provide periodic training to personnel on stroke patient assessment and treatment, with specific focus on assessing stroke severity.

• Immunity from civil liability under section 4765.49 of the Revised Code applies to actions taken under these stroke protocol provisions.