Emergency Medical Services and Patient Surge: Essential Legal Issues
Date
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Time
2:00 to 3:30 P.M. (Eastern Time)
Presenter
James G. Hodge, Jr., JD, LLM
Professor James Hodge is Professor of Public Health Law and Ethics and Director, Public Health Law and Policy Program, at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Arizona State University. His work in public health emergency legal preparedness is long-standing, extensive, and diverse. He has worked over many years with federal, state, and local officials on a variety of legal preparedness projects. Professor Hodge has authored numerous federal and state reports on critical legal preparedness issues, published over 50 related articles, and presented to thousands of practitioners, scholars, and students on these topics. His research regarding the unique legal issues underlying the expansion of the emergency medical services (EMS) roles and conventional scope of practice is the focus of this webinar.
Overview
This webinar is intended to complement the release of the "EMS and Medical Surge: Essential Legal Issues" report that resulted from the 2013 EMS Stakeholder Meeting on Medical Surge. The report is intended to assist communities across the country in their efforts to navigate relevant laws and policies for mass medical surge during public health emergencies.
Webinar Target Audiences
- EMS agencies and personnel
- EMS advisory committees or boards
- EMS policy and regulatory agencies
- Professional organizations and associations
- Public health agencies
- Healthcare coalitions
- Public health lawyers
Webinar Objectives
- Introduce and explain key legal issues for EMS providers and others related to medical surge.
- Provide potential legal solutions to eliminate potential barriers during public health emergencies.
Webinar Scope
- Provide an opportunity for EMS agencies, personnel, advisory groups, and professional organizations; public health agencies and public health lawyers; and healthcare coalitions to learn and ask about core legal issues surrounding expanded roles for EMS in public health emergencies.
- Feature research and analysis of legal issues impacting EMS providers and others during medical surge.
- Explore the following core legal issues for EMS providers:
- Identify emergency, disaster, or public health emergency authorities
- Use of protocols to authorize specific actions among EMS providers
- Licensing reciprocity for EMS providers
- Modifying scopes of practice for emergency medical technicians and paramedics
- State equivalents or extensions of requirements pursuant to the Emergency Medical Treatment And Labor Act concerning screening and treatment at non-hospital sites
- Legal accountability for EMS providers
- Liability protections for EMS providers and partners
- Reimbursement to EMS providers for patient transport to alternate sites
- Provide information about tools and resources that provide guidance for state and community planners to coordinate EMS-system capacity during public health emergencies.
Supporting Webinar Materials
- Transcript (PDF, 116Kb)
- Question and Answer Summary (PDF, 68KB)
Additional Resources
"EMS and Medical Surge: Essential Legal Issues" report (PDF, 3.12MB) – Fall 2015
Continuing Education
Not offered.
DISCLOSURE
The content for this webinar and affiliated "EMS and Medical Surge: Essential Legal Issues" report was developed by James G. Hodge, Jr., JD , LLM , Professor of Public Health Law & Ethics, & Director, Public Health Law & Policy Program; Kim Weidenaar, JD , Instructor & Fellow, Public Health Law & Policy Program; Daniel G. Orenstein, JD , Adjunct Professor & Fellow, Public Health Law & Policy Program, at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Arizona State University (ASU); and Leila F. Barraza, JD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona. Additional research students at ASU who contributed to the Report include Greg Measer, Asha Agrawal, Vincent Miner, Matt Saria, and Rose Meltzer.
Please note that the information provided does not constitute legal advice in any jurisdiction. Please consult with legal counsel in your respective jurisdiction for specific legal guidance.