EMS_FINAL_RULE_07242020r.pdf

On October 28, 2024, updates were made to Arkansas’s Rules for Emergency Medical Services under the authority of Act 435 of 1975. Key changes include those related to EMS operations, licensing, and mutual aid. Here are some of the highlights:

• Licensing Requirements

• Ambulance services must ensure all fees and documentation are submitted to Arkansas DOH prior to licenses being issued or renewed. Licenses are contingent on meeting operational standards, personnel requirements, and equipment requirements.

• Patient Transport

• Patients with life-threatening conditions may request transport to facilities beyond the nearest medical center for specialized care.

• Communications

• Changes in efforts to enhance mutual aid responses during mass casualty incidents, including mandatory reporting procedures, radio frequencies, and coordination with the ECC and local responders have been made.

• Documentation & Reporting

• Ambulance services are required to notify receiving facilities in advance and provide patient encounter forms within 24 hours of patient transfer.

• Specialized Care & Air Ambulance Services

• Standards for air ambulance services have been clarified noting personnel and equipment requirements along with medical oversight for non-specialty care air transport.