Pennsylvania § 8127 - Medical command facilities.

§ 8127. Medical command facilities.

(a) Certification required.--To operate as a medical command facility, a medical unit must be certified by the department as a medical command facility. The department shall issue a certification to each medical unit that operated as a medical command facility immediately prior to the effective date of this section.

(b) Application.--Application for certification shall be on a form or through an electronic application process prescribed by the department. The application shall solicit information necessary to determine that the applicant meets the certification requirements of this chapter.

(c) Requirements.--An applicant shall establish that the applicant:

(1) Is a distinct medical unit operated by a hospital or consortium of hospitals.

(2) Possesses the necessary equipment and personnel for providing medical command to and control over EMS providers.

(3) Employs a medical command facility medical director.

(4) Has taken measures necessary to ensure that a medical command physician is available to provide medical command at all times.

(5) Meets the communication, recordkeeping and other requirements of the department.

(d) Additional requirements.--In addition to the requirements of subsection (c), the department may establish by regulation requirements for a medical command facility to ensure that it operates in an effective and efficient manner to achieve the purposes for which it is certified.

(e) Triennial registration.--A medical command facility's certification is deemed registered for three years after issuance. A medical command facility must register its certification at three-year intervals by completing an application for triennial registration on a form or through an electronic application process prescribed by the department. The department shall grant or deny recertification within 30 days of receipt of the application.

(f) Inspections and inquiries.--The department shall conduct an inspection of the medical unit of each applicant and also inspect existing medical command facilities from time to time as appropriate but not less than once every three years. The department shall have full and free access to examine the medical command facility and its records relating to its operation as a medical command facility. The medical command facility shall fully respond to any inquiry by the department relevant to the determination of whether the facility meets certification and operational requirements.

(g) Grounds for discipline.--The department may discipline a medical command facility for the following reasons:

(1) Violating a requirement of this section.

(2) Violating a certification requirement or an operational requirement imposed under subsection (d).

(3) Refusing to permit an inspection or respond to an inquiry under subsection (f).

(4) Failing to comply, without just cause, with a medical treatment, transport or transfer protocol approved by the department.

(h) Types of discipline.--When the department is empowered to discipline a medical command facility, the department may do one or more of the following:

(1) Deny the application for a certification.

(2) Issue a public reprimand.

(3) Revoke, suspend, limit or otherwise restrict or condition the certification.

(4) Impose a civil money penalty of up to $5,000 for each act that presents a basis for discipline.

(5) Stay enforcement of any suspension, revocation or other discipline and place the facility on probation with the right to vacate the probationary order for noncompliance.