21251 1 ORDINANCE NO. 21,251
2
3 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND LITTLE ROCK, ARK., REV. CODE § 5-68
4 (1988) TO PERMIT SOME BASIC LIFE SUPPORT EMERGENCY
5 AMBULANCE RUNS IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARKANSAS STATE
6 HEALTH DEPARTMENT APPROVAL; TO DECLARE AN
7 EMERGENCY; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
8
9 WHEREAS, when the City created the Little Rock, Ark., Emergency Medical Health Care Facilities
10 Board pursuant Little Rock, Ark.,Ordinance No. 14,062(June 16, 1981),to provide an all Advanced Life
11 Support(ALS)Ambulance System within the City,and in adjoining areas pursuant to Interlocal Agreement,
12 it was determined in the industry that this was the appropriate type of system to have within this community,
13 and was consistent with the best practices and national standards of other system that operated under the
14 public utility model; and,
15 WHEREAS, since the creation of this system the Little Rock Ambulance Authority, d/b/a/
16 Metropolitan Emergency Medical Services(MEMS)has developed a significant amount of data and history
17 that has made it appropriate to review how the system currently operates, and has also had to deal with
18 significant national policy decisions that address the question of appropriate reimbursement for these
19 services;and,
20 WHEREAS, working through this information, and still desirous of following the best practices for
21 such an emergency medical system, it has been determined that some emergency ambulance runs that are
22 not life-threatening can be done more efficiently and productively with Emergency Medical Technicians
23 (EMT) instead of a required Paramedic and still provide excellent care to patients and citizens;and,
24 WHEREAS,the Arkansas State Health Department has approved MEMS for a pilot program in which
25 the current requirement of Section VI.B.I of the Emergency Medical Services(EMS) Regulation --which
26 requires that a service with multiple levels of care will respond to an emergency request with the highest
27 permitted service level available—can be modified to allow Basic Life Support(BLS) service for non-life
28 threatening emergencies; and,
29 WHEREAS, it is appropriate to permit MEMS to work through this six (6)-month trial period and
30 development information to determine whether this pilot program should result in any changes to the state
31 regulations, or MEMS service requirements,or both;
32 NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CITY
33 OF LITTLE ROCK,ARKANSAS:
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Section 1. Little Rock, Ark., Rev. Code § 5-58 (1988) is hereby amended to add the following
2 subsection:
3 Notwithstanding any other provision of this section of the Code, the ambulance authority
4 may provide for BLS responses for non-life threatening emergencies provided that such
5 action is taken in compliance with an appropriate pilot program, or other such program,
6 authorized by the Arkansas Department of Health, is otherwise consistent with this
7 Ordinance and with the Arkansas Emergency Medical Services Regulations, is conducted
8 pursuant to clinical performance guidelines set by AEPF, Inc.,and is in place only for such
9 period of time as determined by the Arkansas Department of Health including, but not
10 limited to,any extensions granted by that Department.
11 Section 2. If, pursuant to the provisions of Section 1, a trial is conducted on such basic life support
12 emergency runs,the authority shall submit a written report to the Mayor and City Manager every three(3)
13 months which outlines the number of such runs, the aggregate run time reports for such runs, and any
14 significant achievements or problems that have arisen during this time period.
15 Section 3. Severability. In the event any title, subtitle, section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph,
16 subparagraph,item,sentence,clause,phrase,or work of this ordinance is declared or adjudged to be invalid
17 or unconstitutional,such declaration or adjudication shall not affect the remaining portions of the ordinance
18 which shall remain in full force and effect as if the portion so declared or adjudged invalid or
19 unconstitutional was not originally a part of this ordinance.
20 Section 4. Repealer. All ordinances, resolutions, or parts of the same that are inconsistent with the
21 provisions of this ordinance are hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistency.
22 Section 5. Emergency Clause. The ability to efficiently and effective provide emergency medical
23 health services to all citizens is essential to the public health, safety, and welfare, and the ability to meet
24 the actual needs of every patient with the appropriate level of care, while still maintaining some control
25 over costs and resources, makes it possible to maintain such an important public service; this ordinance
26 permits the Little Rock Ambulance Authority to appropriate review whether some modification of the
27 current demands for care is appropriate; an emergency, therefore, is declared to exist and this ordinance
28 shall be in full force and effect from and after the date of its passage.
29 PASSED: June 7,2016
30 ATTAPPROVF '
31 N(Wli
32
33 :u• n L= •y,City Clerk f ance Hines,Vice-Mayor
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1 APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FORM:
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3 �'`'`�,."' i ALA
4 Thomas M. Carpenter, City Attor e,
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