Emergency Medical Services Office; Notice of Funding Priorities [28 Pa.B. 4762] Under 28 Pa. Code § 1001.23(b) (relating to allocation of funds), the Department of Health (Department) hereby gives notice of priorities for the distribution by the regional emergency medical services (EMS) councils of funding from the Emergency Medical Services Operating Fund (EMSOF) for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1998 and ending June 30, 1999.
The purpose of the EMSOF is to maintain and improve the quality of the Commonwealth EMS system. The EMSOF is not sufficient to fully fund the EMS system. Consequently, as a general guideline rural ambulance and quick response services (QRSs) will be required to contribute 40% of the funds and non-rural services will be required to contribute 50% of the funds for essential equipment.
The Department may increase the amount of the initial payment or reimbursement from EMSOF funds based upon the financial hardship of an ambulance service or QRS. An ambulance service or QRS that seeks additional EMSOF funds because of financial hardship, to replace or rechassis a vehicle, shall be required to submit a financial disclosure statement and other documentation deemed necessary by the Department.
The Department's recommendation for payment or maximum reimbursement to ambulance services and QRSs eligible for EMSOF will be provided to the regional EMS councils by category, for example, vehicle replacement, communication equipment and essential equipment. The essential equipment lists for mobile intensive care unit (MICU), advanced life support (ALS) squad and basic life support (BLS) ambulances and QRSs that are eligible will also be included.
An ambulance service or QRS applying for EMSOF funding must be in compliance with all requests for information from the regional EMS council having responsibility for the EMS region in which the service operates.
Regional EMS Activities Eligible for Funding through EMSOF (nonprioritized):
* Quality Assurance Initiatives.
* Regional EMS Special Needs.
These items are eligible based on individual needs of each regional EMS system.
* Recruitment/Retention Programs
For ambulance services and QRSs for their activities in recruiting community volunteers to staff the services.
* Essential Equipment for ALS/BLS/QRS Services
New or replacement.
* Data Collection
Alternate methods of data collection for use by medical command facilities, Pennsylvania receiving facilities and licensed ambulance services and recognized QRSs in this Commonwealth. These alternate data collection methods must be recommended and endorsed by the regional EMS council and approved by the Department.
* Training Programs for Prehospital Personnel
EMSOF funds may be provided to cover up to 100% of the cost to procure essential equipment for training programs, but EMSOF funds shall not be used to pay the cost for course coordinators and primary and secondary instructors, without the approval of the Department.
* EMS Management Development Training Programs
Training programs that promote local ambulance service knowledge and skills for the efficient management of an ambulance service and QRS. Programs must be coordinated with the regional EMS council in the service's area for maximum program effect. Programs in which multiple ambulance services participate will receive first consideration for funding.
* Equipment for the Establishment of New Quick Response Services (QRSs)
Purchase of equipment needed to establish new QRSs outside of areas in which ambulance services are responding to emergencies within 10 minutes after being dispatched, and identified as needed by regional planning.
* Equipment for Providing Basic Life Support (BLS) Services to Areas in Need
Purchase of equipment needed to establish BLS ambulance service operations to serve areas not currently served by BLS ambulances within 10 minutes of dispatch, and identified as needed by regional planning.
* Equipment for Providing Advanced Life Support (ALS) to Areas in Need
Purchase of equipment needed to establish ALS ambulance service operations to serve areas not currently served by ALS ambulances within 20 minutes of dispatch, and identified as needed by regional planning.
* Vehicle Replacement
The following categories will be funded and may be prioritized by each regional EMS council based on the needs determined within its region:
1. Vehicle Replacement--ambulance is eligible to be replaced or rechassied based on the following criteria and priorities (one vehicle per service per 5-year period):
First Priority:
a. Ambulances that are 10 years old or older in the following order of decreasing priority:
1) Single vehicle service (1st priority)
2) Two vehicle service (2nd priority)
3) Three vehicle service (3rd priority)
4) Greater than three vehicle service (4th priority)
Second Priority:
b. Ambulances that are 5 years old or have at least 100,000 miles in the following order of decreasing priority:
1) Single vehicle service (1st priority)
2) Two vehicle service (2nd priority)
3) Three vehicle service (3rd priority)
4) Greater than three vehicle service (4th priority)
2. To be eligible to receive EMSOF funding for the purchase of vehicles, an ambulance service must meet the following criteria:
a. The service must be licensed to operate in this Commonwealth.
b. The service must have an assigned primary response area for emergencies.
c. The service must have responded to a minimum of 50 emergency calls per year within its primary response area.
DANIEL F. HOFFMANN,
Secretary[Pa.B. Doc. No. 98-1529. Filed for public inspection September 18, 1998, 9:00 a.m.]
