OAR 333-250-0250: Operational Requirements

(1) A licensed ambulance service may only utilize an ambulance for providing ambulance services that has been issued a license by the Oregon Health Authority (Authority), and that complies with all of the requirements of these rules, ORS chapter 682, ORS 820.300 through 820.380, OAR division 333, chapter 255, and other applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations governing the operation of a licensed ambulance service. (2) Applicable to the area of operation, a licensed ambulance service must: (a) Document the organizational structure of the agency including identifying lines of responsibility and authority; (b) Notify the Authority, upon making initial application or within 14-days of the date of registration, of any new "trading as", "division of", or "doing business as" names utilized by the licensed ambulance service; (c) Transport only patients for which it has the resources to provide appropriate medical care and transportation unless in transfers between medical facilities, the sending or receiving facility has provided medically appropriate life support measures, personnel, and equipment to sustain the patient during the transfer; and (d) Document mutual aid agreements with other licensed ambulance service organizations that are necessary to respond in emergency situations. (3) A licensed ambulance service may advertise only when the ambulance service and ambulance meet the requirements of ORS chapter 682 and these rules. (a) If a licensed ambulance service does not provide the level of service advertised, the ambulance service license may be suspended or revoked, or a renewal application denied in accordance with OAR 333-250-0390 or 333-250-0400 for failure to comply. (b) No licensed ambulance service shall advertise or promote the use of any telephone number other than "9-1-1" for emergency ambulance service. (c) A licensed ambulance service which offers non-emergency service may advertise its non-emergency or business telephone number for other than emergency use, provided that in any print, audio or video advertising the phrase "FOR EMERGENCIES — CALL 9-1-1" is provided. When using the phrase "FOR EMERGENCIES — CALL 9-1-1" in print, it must be in bold-faced type at least one and one-half times the font size in which the non-emergency or business telephone number is displayed. (d) Contents of ambulance service advertising must include: (A) The legal name of the ambulance service indicated on the license issued by the Authority; (B) If advertising 24-hours-a-day operation, the licensed ambulance service must provide uninterrupted service 24-hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week, 365 days-a-year; and (C) If the licensed ambulance service provides service for only a portion of a 24-hour day or week, any advertising must specify the hours and days of operation. (e) The licensed ambulance service must maintain copies of all print, audio, video, and all other types of advertisements for one year after use and distribution have ceased, and must make those copies available to the Authority upon request. (f) Novelty or promotional items which are not distributed to the general public do not meet the definition of advertisement. (4) A licensed ambulance service shall require each person staffing an ambulance or providing prehospital emergency or non-emergency care to display their level of licensure on the outermost garment of their usual work uniform at all times while staffing an ambulance or rendering patient care, and shall make reasonable efforts to display this information under other circumstances. (5) If a licensed ambulance service accepts students for Paramedic internships from an accredited teaching institution, the licensed ambulance service must: (a) Have a signed and dated contract with each teaching institution providing internship students; and (b) Use qualified preceptors, as defined by OAR 333-264-0010, who will be assigned to supervise, document and evaluate the Paramedic interns. (6) Any emergency medical services (EMS) related continuing education offered by the licensed ambulance service or designee must be documented in accordance with OAR 333-265-0140 sections (3) and (4) and provided to the employee or volunteer. (7) All records relating to an ambulance service's operations must be retained by the licensee or the licensee's successors or assignees for not less than seven years from the date of implementation, purchase, dispatch, creation or longer if so required by law or regulation. The record keeping mechanism may be in any permanent form including paper or on magnetic media provided that the information can be made readily available for inspection by the Authority. (8) If not the primary ambulance service area provider, a licensed ambulance service shall not provide ambulance services: (a) Where the ambulance service is not properly dispatched through a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) or recognized dispatch center identified in the applicable ambulance service plan; (b) With knowledge that another ambulance service has been notified to respond to a call; (c) In violation of the county ambulance service plan; (d) In violation of local protocols, procedures, or ordinances; or (e) In a manner that interferes with the safe and effective operation of an EMS system. (9) Section (8) of this rule shall not prevent a licensed ambulance service from providing interfacility ambulance transports when allowed under the ambulance service plan.