§16-4C-3. Definitions.

As used in this article, unless the context clearly requires a different meaning:

(a) "Ambulance" means any privately, publicly-owned vehicle, or aircraft which is designed, constructed, or modified; equipped or maintained; and operated for the transportation of patients, including, but not limited to, emergency medical services vehicles; rotary and fixed wing air ambulances; gsa kkk-A-1822 federal standard type I, type II, and type III vehicles; and specialized multipatient medical transport vehicles operated by an emergency medical services agency;

(b)(1) "Alternative destination" means a lower-acuity facility that provides medical services, including without limitation:

(A) A federally-qualified health center;

(B) An urgent care center;

(C) A rural health clinic;

(D) A physician office or medical clinic as selected by the patient; and

(E) A behavioral or mental health care facility including, without limitation, a crisis stabilization unit.

(2) "Alternative destination" does not include a:

(A) Critical access hospital;

(B) Dialysis center;

(C) Hospital;

(D) Private residence; or

(E) Skilled nursing facility.

(c) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of the Bureau for Public Health;

(d) "Council" means the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council created pursuant to this article;

(e) "Director" means the Director of the Office of Emergency Medical Services;

(f) "Emergency Medical Services" means all services set forth in Public Law 93-154 The Emergency Medical Services Systems Act of 1973 and those included in and made a part of the emergency medical services plan of the Department of Health inclusive of, but not limited to, responding to the medical needs of an individual to prevent the loss of life or aggravation of illness or injury;

(g) "Emergency medical services agency" means any agency licensed under §16-4C-6a of this code to provide emergency medical services;

(h) "Emergency medical services personnel" means any person certified by the commissioner to provide emergency medical services as set forth by legislative rule;

(i) "Emergency medical services provider" means any authority, person, corporation, partnership, or other entity, public or private, which owns or operates a licensed emergency medical services agency providing emergency medical services in this state;

(j) "Governing body" has the meanings ascribed to it as applied to a municipality in §8-1-2(b)(1) of this code;

(k) "Line officer" means the emergency medical services personnel, present at the scene of an accident, injury, or illness, who has taken the responsibility for patient care;

(l) "Medical command" means the issuing of orders by a physician from a medical facility to emergency medical services personnel for the purpose of providing appropriate patient care;

(m) "Municipality" has the meaning ascribed to it in §8-1-2(a)(1) of this code;

(n) "Patient" means any person who is a recipient of the services provided by emergency medical services;

(o) "A rural health clinic" means an outpatient care facility that provides rural health services, such as primary care and routine laboratory services, to rural and often underserved communities;

(p) "Service reciprocity" means the provision of emergency medical services to citizens of this state by emergency medical services personnel certified to render those services by a neighboring state;

(q) "Small emergency medical services provider" means any emergency medical services provider which is made up of less than 20 emergency medical services personnel; and

(r) "Specialized multipatient medical transport" means a type of ambulance transport provided for patients with medical needs greater than those of the average population, which may require the presence of a trained emergency medical technician during the transport of the patient: Provided, That the requirement of "greater medical need" may not prohibit the transportation of a patient whose need is preventive in nature.