102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB0693

 

Introduced 2/25/2021, by Sen. Melinda Bush

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
210 ILCS 50/3.155

    Amends the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act. Provides that when a patient has been determined by EMS personnel to (1) have no immediate life-threatening injuries or illness, (2) not be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, (3) have no immediate or obvious need for transport to an emergency department, and (4) have an immediate need for transport to an EMS System-approved mental health facility, the EMS personnel may contact Online Medical Control or his or her EMS Medical Director or Emergency Communication Registered Nurse to request bypass or diversion of the closest emergency department and request transport to the closest or appropriate EMS System-approved mental health facility.


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A BILL FOR

 

SB0693LRB102 04346 CPF 14364 b

1    AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems
5Act is amended by changing Section 3.155 as follows:
 
6    (210 ILCS 50/3.155)
7    Sec. 3.155. General Provisions.
8    (a) Authority and responsibility for the EMS System shall
9be vested in the EMS Resource Hospital, through the EMS
10Medical Director or his designee.
11    (b) For an inter-hospital emergency or non-emergency
12medical transport, in which the physician from the sending
13hospital provides the EMS personnel with written medical
14orders, such written medical orders cannot exceed the scope of
15care which the EMS personnel are authorized to render pursuant
16to this Act.
17    (c) For an inter-hospital emergency or non-emergency
18medical transport of a patient who requires medical care
19beyond the scope of care which the EMS personnel are
20authorized to render pursuant to this Act, a qualified
21physician, nurse, perfusionist, or respiratory therapist
22familiar with the scope of care needed must accompany the
23patient and the transferring hospital and physician shall

 

 

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1assume medical responsibility for that portion of the medical
2care.
3    (d) No emergency medical services vehicles or personnel
4from another State or nation may be utilized on a regular basis
5to pick up and transport patients within this State without
6first complying with this Act and all rules adopted by the
7Department pursuant to this Act.
8    (e) This Act shall not prevent emergency medical services
9vehicles or personnel from another State or nation from
10rendering requested assistance in this State in a disaster
11situation, or operating from a location outside the State and
12occasionally transporting patients into this State for needed
13medical care. Except as provided in Section 31 of this Act,
14this Act shall not provide immunity from liability for such
15activities.
16    (f) Except as provided in subsection (e) of this Section,
17no person or entity shall transport emergency or non-emergency
18patients by ambulance, SEMSV, or medical carrier without first
19complying with the provisions of this Act and all rules
20adopted pursuant to this Act.
21    (g) Nothing in this Act or the rules adopted by the
22Department under this Act shall be construed to authorize any
23medical treatment to or transportation of any person who
24objects on religious grounds.
25    (h) Patients, individuals who accompany a patient, and
26emergency medical services personnel may not smoke while

 

 

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1inside an ambulance or SEMSV. The Department of Public Health
2may impose a civil penalty on an individual who violates this
3subsection in the amount of $100.
4    (i) When a patient has been determined by EMS personnel to
5(1) have no immediate life-threatening injuries or illness,
6(2) not be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, (3) have no
7immediate or obvious need for transport to an emergency
8department, and (4) have an immediate need for transport to an
9EMS System-approved mental health facility, the EMS personnel
10may contact Online Medical Control or his or her EMS Medical
11Director or Emergency Communication Registered Nurse to
12request bypass or diversion of the closest emergency
13department, as outlined in paragraph (5) of subsection (c) of
14Section 3.20, and request transport to the closest or
15appropriate EMS System-approved mental health facility.
16(Source: P.A. 92-376, eff. 8-15-01.)