UTSW/BioTel EMS Training Bulletin 15-004

March 2015

EMS Providers Responding Outside of Their Normal Jurisdiction for a State Disaster Response   (PDF Here)

Purpose:

1. To set forth the practice guidelines for UTSW/BioTel EMS Providers who have been deployed as part of a State response team during a disaster or potential disaster.

Details:

1. EMS Providers deployed by their respective EMS agency as a State disaster asset shall operate under the authority of the UTSW/BioTel EMS Medical Direction Team when:
   1. The Texas Department of State Health Services (TX DSHS) has called for state resources to deploy in response to a large-scale, multi-jurisdictional, and/or potential large-scale incident, AND
   2. The EMS Provider is on duty for his/her agency.
2. UTSW/BioTel EMS Providers operating during State-requested deployment shall utilize the UTSW/BioTel EMS Guidelines for Therapy and shall contact BioTel for consultation, when required by those Guidelines, and when possible.
   1. Exceptions to this requirement are explained below, in sections 3 and 4.
3. Under certain circumstances, the Texas Disaster Medical System (TDMS) may deploy a Medical Control Physician into the local designated Medical Operations Center (MOC).
   1. UTSW/BioTel EMS Providers are authorized to practice under that physician’s direction.
   2. When practicing under a Non-UTSW/BioTel Physician’s medical direction, the following information must be documented in the Patient Care Record (PCR) or electronic Patient Care Record (ePCR):
      1. Physician’s full name; AND
      2. Physician’s credentials (e.g. M.D. or D.O., and TX license number); AND
         
      3. Details of the treatment ordered by that physician.
4. When no Medical Control Physician has been designated by the State to provide on-line or on-scene medical direction, and when BioTel contact cannot be established because of communications failure (e.g. absent cellphone service in a disaster area), UTSW/BioTel EMS Providers shall use their best clinical judgment to provide patient care within their scope of practice.
   1. Under these exceptional circumstances, treatment modalities that would normally require prior BioTel authorization within the standard UTSW/BioTel EMS Guidelines for Therapy may be used without BioTel consultation.
   2. EMS Providers shall fully document on the PCR or ePCR all deviations from the standard UTSW/BioTel EMS Guidelines for Therapy that were necessary during the disaster response.

References:

1. UTSW BioTel EMS Guidelines for Therapy

UTSW/BioTel EMS Providers may contact BioTel at any time with questions or concerns about this policy.