NOTICE OF CHANGE TO EMT CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS - March 31, 2008

Proof of US Citizenship/Eligibility Requirement beginning April 15, 2008

• What is required?
• Who is affected?
• How can the EMT comply?
• How do you apply?
• Federal & State Statutes

View the Notice [PDF 33K]
 

Trauma Registry Rulemaking effective January 12, 2008

The Trauma Registry Rulemaking becomes effective on January 12, 2008. 

• This Rulemaking creates standards for submission of trauma patient data to the ADHS trauma registry. 

• The rules include trauma patient inclusion criteria, minimum data element requirements, and deadlines for the submission of data. 

• In addition to the data submission requirements, the rules include requirements for ADHS reports on data from the trauma registry, confidentiality requirements for trauma registry data and trauma system quality assurance data, and provisions for trauma registry data quality assurance. 

An unofficial copy of the rules is posted at http://www.azdhs.gov/bems/ems_rules.pdf.

If you have any questions about the new rules, please contact Anita Ray, State Trauma Registry Manager, at (602) 542-1245 or raya@azdhs.gov.
   

EMT Training Rulemaking Effective October 6, 2007

The EMT Training Rulemaking becomes effective on October 6, 2007. This Rulemaking makes several substantive changes that will impact training programs. Specifically, the Rulemaking:

• Requires Arizona EMT-P Course students to complete, during clinical training and field training, the competencies identified in 9 A.A.C. 25, Article 3, Exhibit C;

• Requires training on epinephrine auto-injector administration in the Arizona EMT-B Course and the Arizona EMT-B Refresher;

• Establishes qualifications for supplemental skill training instructors in a new R9-25-513; and

• Repeals R9-25-509, the rule that made epinephrine auto-injector administration an optional skill for EMT-Bs.

All training programs will be required to comply with the requirements of the revised rules as of October 6, 2007.   

An unofficial copy of the rules is posted at http://www.azdhs.gov/bems/ems_rules.pdf. 
If you have any questions about the revised rules, please contact Joel Bunis at (602) 364-3189 or bunisj@azdhs.gov.
  

New Substantive Policy Statement for Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) Practicing in Hospitals, Effective July 1, 2007

ADHS has adopted a new substantive policy statement for emergency medical technicians (EMTs) practicing in hospitals, effective July 1, 2007. The new substantive policy statement, SP-082-PHS-EMS/SP-034-DLS-OMF, has been jointly adopted by the ADHS Bureau of EMS and Trauma System and the ADHS Division of Licensing Services’ Office of Medical Facilities. The substantive policy statement is available at http://www.azdhs.gov/diro/admin_rules/substantive.htm, under both “Public Health” and “Licensing Services.”
  

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Trauma Data Rules

ADHS has filed a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for the Trauma Data Rules. Additional information, including how to provide comments on the proposed rulemaking, is available here.
  

New Trauma Triage Standard Adopted May 1, 2007

Effective May 1, 2007, ADHS adopted a revised Arizona Trauma Patient Identification and Field Triage Decision Standard, Guidance Document #GD-064-PHS-EMS.  The new trauma triage standard is adopted from the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Committee on Trauma's Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient 2006 and is available at http://www.azdhs.gov/diro/admin_rules/guidancedocs/gd-064-phs-ems.pdf 
  

Immunization Training Requirement Suspended Effective May 1, 2007

The ADHS Director has suspended the requirement for an EMT-I(99) or EMT-P to complete the training required in R9-25-501(C) before the EMT-I(99) or EMT-P may administer an immunizing agent during an immunization clinic. The Director suspended the requirement under A.R.S. § 36-2202(E) after determining that the training requirement is redundant and thus not in the public’s best interest.

The Notice of Public Information suspending the provision will be published in the Arizona Administrative Register on May 25, 2007.  Meanwhile, a copy of it, as filed with the Office of the Secretary of State, is available here [PDF 15K].

The Department will have a draft Notice of Exempt Rulemaking to rewrite R9-25-501 and add immunizing agents to Table 1 in R9-25-503 considered by the Education Committee and the Protocols, Medications, and Devices Committee at their May meetings.
   

EMT Certification Extension Rulemaking

The Notice of Final Rulemaking for the EMT certification extension rulemaking was approved by the Governor’s Regulatory Review Council (GRRC) at its meeting on May 1, 2007. The rulemaking will be published in the Arizona Administrative Register on May 25, 2007, and will become effective on June 30, 2007.  Effective June 30, 2007, ADHS will begin charging the $150 certification extension fee for each application for EMT recertification filed within 30 days after the certification expiration date.
   

Restocking Field EMS Providers with Controlled Substances Information

The Bureau wishes to provide the EMS community with a copy of the August 2002 Pharmacy Board substantive policy statement concerning restocking field EMS providers with controlled substances.  This issue has resurfaced recently and this document has again been reviewed and validated by the Board of Pharmacy and D.E.A.
August 2002 Pharmacy Board Substantive Policy Statement.
  

Pediatric Injury/Death From Car Crashes for Unrestrained Children in Arizona

The Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma System and the Emergency Medical Services for Children Program have developed a report examining Pediatric Injury/Death From Car Crashes for Unrestrained Children in Arizona [PDF 36K]. The data for the report comes from the Arizona State Trauma Registry and Arizona Child Fatality Review Report.
  

Arizona Computer Based Testing Sites

National Registry Computer Based Testing will begin January 2, 2007. Applicants must obtain from National Registry, a letter of Authorization to Test, prior to scheduling a test date.

To schedule an examination, applicants will call the Pearson VUE Call Center or schedule via the Pearson VUE Candidate web site. Detailed instructions are provided in the Authorization to Test letter.

Applicants requiring further assistance with scheduling a Computer Based Test should contact National Registry at 1-614-888-4484. Applicants may begin completing their NREMT application at this time. Pearson VUE will begin accepting appointments for NREMT testing on December 18th, with an Authorization to Test (ATT).

Click here [PDF 16K] for a list of authorized NREMT Computer Based Testing sites for the State of Arizona as of August 1, 2007. As additional sites are approved they will be updated for your review. Please note: NREMT examinations can be taken at any approved Pearson VUE test center.
  

Arizona Child Fatality Review Program - 13th Annual Report - November 2006

The mission of the Arizona Child Fatality Review Program is to reduce child deaths by analyzing the circumstances surrounding these deaths. Using this data, the Child Fatality Review Team develops recommendations for legislation, public policy, and community education to help prevent deaths in the future. In 2005, 1,148 children died in Arizona. For the first time since the inception of the Arizona Child Fatality Review Program, a Child Fatality Team reviewed every one of these deaths.

Click here to review this report. [PDF 1.03 MB]
  

Program Directors and Instructors - It's Time to Make Sure your Program is Registered on the NREMT Website!

On January 1, 2007, NREMT pencil and paper exams will be replaced with computer based testing (CBT). For more information, click here. [PDF 66K]
  

Important information concerning the implementation of computer based National Registry EMT testing

The implementation of computer based National Registry EMT testing is slated to begin on January 2, 2007. For more information, click here. [PDF 44K]
  

Introduction and Purpose of the 2005 Annual EMS & Trauma System Assessment

Pursuant to A.R.S. § 36-2208(A), the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services (“BEMS”) is “responsible for coordinating, establishing and administering a statewide system of emergency medical services, trauma care and trauma registry”.  The 2005 Annual EMS and Trauma System Assessment serves as a means for BEMS to coordinate, establish, and administer Arizona’s EMS and trauma system.  The Assessment is designed to obtain an objective determination of the statewide capabilities, structure, and needs of the Arizona EMS and Trauma System and its providers for calendar year 2005, and in some instances at the time the assessment is distributed.  The 2005 Annual EMS and Trauma System Assessment is currently in progress, and the aggregate results will be posted on the BEMS website once the assessment data have been compiled and analyzed.

2005 Annual EMS & Trauma System Assessment [PDF 414K]