§ 1023.30. Prehospital EMS physician.
(a) Roles and responsibilities. A PHP performs for an EMS agency basic and advanced EMS skills within the scope of practice of a physician under the Medical Practice Act of 1985 (63 P. S. § § 422.1—422.51a) or the Osteopathic Medical Practice Act (63 P. S. § § 271.1—271.18) as follows:
(1) As a member of the crew of an ambulance or squad vehicle.
(2) As a member of a QRS to stabilize and improve a patient’s condition in an out-of-hospital setting.
(3) As a member of a special operations EMS service.
(4) As a first aid or safety officer, or in a similar capacity.
(b) Certification. The Department will certify as PHP a physician who meets the following qualifications:
(1) Completes an application for PHP certification on a form or through an electronic process, as prescribed by the Department.
(2) Has successfully completed one of the following:
(i) A residency program in emergency medicine accredited by a residency program accrediting body recognized by the State Board of Medicine or the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine.
(ii) The first year of a residency program that satisfies the requirements in subparagraph (i) and the ACLS course, the ATLS course, the APLS or PALS course or, for each of these courses, a course that the Department determines meets or exceeds the requirements of the course.
(iii) A residency program in anesthesia, general surgery, internal medicine or family medicine, by a residency program accrediting body recognized by the State Board of Medicine or the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine, and the ACLS course, the ATLS course, the APLS or PALS course or, for each of these courses, a course that the Department determines meets or exceeds the requirements of the course.
(3) Has a current certificate evidencing successful completion of a CPR course acceptable to the Department.
(4) Has passed a practical test of EMS skills prescribed by the Department for a PHP or served as a prehospital health professional physician prior to October 12, 2013.
(c) Transition for prehospital health professional physicians. A physician who served as a prehospital health professional physician prior to April 10, 2014, and who satisfies the certification requirements under subsection (b)(2), may serve as a PHP until July 9, 2014, without having secured a certification as a PHP.
(d) Biennial registration.
(1) When a PHP certification is issued it is deemed registered through December 31 of that year, if it is issued in an odd-numbered year, or through December 31 of the next odd-numbered year, if it is issued in an even-numbered year. Thereafter, a PHP shall biennially register the certification by completing a form or through an electronic process, as prescribed by the Department. A PHP shall submit the form or complete the electronic process at least 30 days prior to the expiration of a current registration. Failure to do so in a timely manner may result in the PHP certification not being registered again before the prior registration expires. The Department will issue a new registration within 30 days after the PHP completes the form or the electronic process if the information provided establishes that the PHP has satisfied the following:
(i) Has a current physician license or current registration of that license.
(ii) Has completed the continuing education requirements for biennial registration of a PHP certification in § 1023.31(h) (relating to continuing education requirements).
(2) A PHP who is a member of the armed forces who is returning from active military service and whose PHP registration has expired or will expire within 12 months after returning from active military service may secure an exception to the biennial registration requirements under § 1023.21(d) (relating to general rights and responsibilities).
(e) Scope of practice. A PHP may perform skills within a paramedic’s scope of practice and other skills within the practice of medicine or osteopathic medicine. A PHP may not perform a skill that the PHP has not been educated to perform. A regional EMS medical director shall verify that a PHP who is also an EMS agency medical director and who qualifies for PHP certification by satisfying the requirements in subsection (b)(2)(iii) has the competency to perform all skills within a paramedic’s scope of practice.
Source The provisions of this § 1023.30 adopted October 11, 2013, effective April 10, 2014, 43 Pa.B. 6093.
Cross References This section cited in 28 Pa. Code § 1023.31 (relating to continuing education requirements).
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