As used in this subchapter:
(1) “Acute health-care facility” means any facility which is established, maintained and operated for the purpose of providing immediate and emergent care to individuals suffering from a life-threatening medical condition.
(2) “Advanced emergency medical technician” (AEMT) shall mean a person who has successfully completed a course approved by the Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline or its duly authorized representative, which meets the objectives of the national scope of practice.
(3) “Advanced life support” (ALS) shall mean the advanced level of prehospital and interhospital emergency care that includes basic life support functions including cardiopulmonary resuscitation, plus cardiac monitoring, cardiac defibrillation, telemetered electrocardiography, administration of antiarrhythmic agents, intravenous therapy, administration of specific medications, drugs and solutions, use of adjunctive medical devices, trauma care and other authorized techniques and procedures.
(4) “Ambulance” shall mean any publicly or privately owned vehicle, as certified by the State Fire Prevention Commission, that is specifically designed, constructed or modified and equipped, and is intended to be used for and is maintained or operated for the transportation upon the streets and highways of this State for persons who are sick, injured, wounded or otherwise incapacitated or helpless.
(5) “Ambulance attendant” shall mean a person trained in emergency medical care procedures and currently certified by the Delaware State Fire Prevention Commission or its duly authorized agent in accordance with standards prescribed by the Commission. Such course shall be classified as basic life support and shall be the minimum acceptable level of training for certified emergency medical personnel.
(6) “Basic life support” (BLS) shall mean the level of capability which provides prehospital, noninvasive emergency patient care designed to optimize the patient’s chances of surviving an emergency situation.
(7) “Consumer” shall mean a recipient or potential recipient of the services provided by an emergency medical services system, who receives no direct or indirect personal, financial or professional benefit as a result of association with health care or emergency services other than that generally shared by the public at large, and who is not otherwise considered a “provider” within the intent of this subchapter.
(8) “Controlled substance” means as defined in § 4701 of this title.
(9) “Director” shall mean the program chief of the Office of Emergency Medical Services responsible for the duties of the Office as set forth in Chapter 97 of this title.
(10) “Disaster” shall mean a sudden unexpected event which disrupts normal community functions and/or quickly exhausts local facilities so as to require outside help.
(11) “Early defibrillation provider” shall mean a member or employee of an early defibrillation service certified to operate Semi-Automatic External Defibrillator (SAED) equipment under the requirements set forth in regulations promulgated by the Department of Health and Social Services.
(12) “Early defibrillation service” shall mean any agency, organization or company, certified as such by the State Office of Emergency Medical Services, that employs or retains providers certified in the use of semi-automatic defibrillation equipment.
(13) “Emergency medical services systems” (EMSS) shall mean a statewide system which provides for the utilization of available personnel, equipment, transportation and communication to ensure effective and coordinated delivery of medical care in emergency situations resulting from accidents, illness or natural disasters.
(14) “Emergency medical technician” (EMT) shall mean a person trained, and currently certified by the State Fire Prevention Commission, in emergency medical care procedures through a course which meets the objectives of the national scope of practice.
(15) “Health planning agencies” shall mean the federally designated health system agency and/or statewide health planning and development agency for Delaware.
(16) “Hospital” means as defined in § 1001 of this title.
(17) “Inclusive statewide stroke care system” means a stroke system in which all current and future providers of hospital and/or prehospital health-care services may participate, at a level commensurate with the scope of their resources, as required in a stroke facility.
(18) “Inclusive statewide trauma care system” means a trauma system in which all current and future providers of hospital and/or pre-hospital health-care services may participate, at a level commensurate with the scope of their resources, as required in a specialty care unit of this section.
(19) “Law-enforcement officer” means a sworn member of a police force or other law-enforcement agency of this State, or of any county or municipality within this State, who is responsible for the prevention and detection of crime and the enforcement of the laws of this State, or the laws of any county or municipality within this State.
(20) “Medical control” shall mean directions and advice normally provided from a centrally designated medical facility operating under medical supervision, supplying professional support through radio or telephonic communication for on-site and in-transit basic and advanced life support services given by field and satellite facility personnel.
(21) “Mutual aid agreements” shall mean the establishment of appropriate arrangements with EMS systems of other states for the provision of emergency medical services on a reciprocal basis.
(22) “Opioid use disorder” means a substance use disorder involving the use of opioids, whether as controlled substances or as narcotic drugs.
(23) “Overdose” means an acute condition resulting from the use of alcohol or a controlled substance, or a narcotic drug, or a combination of substances, including physical illness, coma, mania, hysteria, or death.
(24) “Overdose System of Care Committee” means the Committee established under § 9711 of this title.
(25) “Paramedic” shall mean a person who has successfully completed a course approved by the Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline or its duly authorized representative, and who acts under the direct or radio control of a physician or physician surrogate.
(26) “Provider” shall mean a person who, as an individual or member of a corporation or organization, whether profit-making or nonprofit, on a regular basis gives or offers for sale any supplies, equipment, professional or nonprofessional services, or is capable of giving or offering for sale supplies, equipment or services vital or incidental to the functions of an emergency medical services system.
(27) “Public safety personnel” shall mean law-enforcement officers, lifeguards, park rangers, firefighters, ambulance and rescue personnel, communications and dispatch specialists, and other public employees and emergency service providers charged with maintaining the public safety.
(28) “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services.
(29) “Semi-automatic external defibrillator” shall mean a device capable of analyzing a cardiac rhythm, determining the need for defibrillation, automatically charging and advising a provider to deliver a defibrillation electrical impulse.
(30) “Specialty care unit” shall mean sophisticated treatment facilities that provide advanced specialized definitive care for critically ill patients. The units shall be available for the diagnosis and care of specific patient problems including major trauma, burns, spinal cord injury, stroke, poisoning, acute cardiac, overdose, substance use disorder, opioid use disorder, high-risk infant and behavioral emergencies.
(31) “Stabilization center” means a facility designated by the Secretary to receive patients from Emergency Medical Services who are experiencing a nonlife threatening overdose or who require acute management for substance use disorder.
(32) “Stroke facility” shall mean an acute care hospital or freestanding emergency department that has received and maintains current State of Delaware designation as a stroke center, as determined by the Secretary of Health and Social Services, or an acute care hospital or freestanding emergency department that has not achieved such a designation but participates in the care of stroke patients and contributes data to the Delaware Stroke System Registry and Quality Improvement Program.
(33) “Stroke patient” shall mean any person with an episode of neurological dysfunction or headache caused by focal cerebral, spinal, or retinal infarction or by a focal collection of blood within the brain parenchyma, ventricular system, or subarachnoid space that is not caused by trauma.
(34) “Substance use disorder” means the psychological or physical dependence on alcohol, a controlled substance, a narcotic drug, or a combination of substances, that causes clinical and functional impairment or distress. “Substance use disorder” often includes a strong desire to use alcohol, a controlled substance, or a narcotic drug, increased tolerance to alcohol, a controlled substance, or a narcotic drug, and withdrawal syndrome when use of alcohol, a controlled substance, or a narcotic drug is abruptly discontinued.
(35) “Trauma facility” means an acute care hospital which has received and maintains current State designation as a Trauma Center. Categories of trauma facilities in Delaware are as follows:
a.Regional Level1 Trauma Center. —A regional resource trauma center that has the capability of providing leadership and comprehensive, definitive care for every aspect of injury from prevention through rehabilitation.
b.Regional Level2 Trauma Center. —A regional trauma center with the capability to provide initial care for all trauma patients. Most patients would continue to be cared for in this center; there may be some complex cases which would require transfer for the depth of services of a Regional Level 1 or specialty center.
c.Community Trauma Center. —An acute care hospital that provides assessment, resuscitation, stabilization and triage of all trauma patients, arranging for timely transfer of those patients requiring the additional resources of a Regional Trauma or Specialty Center and delivering definitive care to those whose needs match the resources of the Community Trauma Center.
d.Participating hospital. —An acute care facility which transfers trauma patients with moderate or severe injuries to trauma centers after initial resuscitation. When necessary, this facility may provide care to trauma patients with minor injuries. Participating hospitals contribute data to the Delaware Trauma System Registry and Quality Improvement Program.
(36) “Trauma patient” means any person with actual or potential bodily damage subsequent to an event which exposed the body to an external force or energy.
(37) “Treatment protocols” shall mean written uniform treatment and care plans for emergency and critical patients. The treatment plans for advanced life support must be approved and signed by appropriate physicians and/or medical groups.