Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 511-9-2-.03 - Statewide Emergency Medical Services Advisory Councils

(1) Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council.
(a) Purpose. A statewide Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council (EMSAC) shall be established to advise the Department in matters essential to its operations with respect to emergency medical services systems.
(b) General Provisions.
1. The Director and Deputy Director of the State Office of EMS and Trauma shall act as liaisons between EMSAC and the Department, and shall provide support, education, and guidance to EMSAC related to its roles.
2. EMSAC recommendations are advisory and are not binding on the Department or on agencies under contract to the Department.
3. EMSAC shall adopt bylaws subject to the approval of the Department and shall conduct its business in accordance with the Georgia Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et seq, and Open Meetings Act, O.C.G.A. § 50-14-1 et seq. Bylaws shall address frequency of meetings, recording of minutes, membership, creation and function of committees, managing of conflicts of interest, voting, and other issues relevant to the function of an advisory council.
4. EMSAC shall be composed of between twenty-five (25) and thirty-five (35) members who are knowledgeable in the field of EMS systems and all components thereof, and who represent a broad cross-section of Georgia's citizens. Membership shall include representation from each of the following categories, provided that a single member may represent more than one category:
(i) At least one representative from each of the state's ten EMS Regions;
(ii) A representative from the statewide Systems of Care Advisory Council;
(iii) A representative from the statewide Emergency Medical Services Medical Director's Advisory Council;
(iv) A representative of EMS education;
(v) A representative from a fire/rescue service;
(vi) A representative from an emergency management agency;
(vii) At least one representative from each of the following EMS agency license types:
(I) Ground Ambulance
(II) Neonatal Ambulance
(III) Air Ambulance
(IV) Medical First Responder
(viii) At least one representative from each of the following EMS agency ownership types:
(I) Government (City, County, or State)
(II) Private (Corporation, Limited Liability Company, Sole Proprietorship, or other entity)
(III) Hospital
5. Members shall be appointed by the Commissioner or his/her designee for a term specified in EMSAC's bylaws.
6. Each EMSAC member shall serve in a volunteer capacity, without remuneration by the Department, and shall not be entitled to reimbursement of any expenses, including travel expenses.
(c) EMSAC's responsibilities shall include, but not be limited to:
1. Recommending standards and policies which affect those persons, services, or agencies regulated under these rules and Chapter 11 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia;
2. Reviewing and providing comment on legislative proposals as requested by the Department; and
3. Serve to promote the interest of improvement of Georgia's statewide emergency medical services systems and all components thereof.
(2) Emergency Medical Services Medical Directors Advisory Council.
(a) Purpose. The Department shall establish a statewide Emergency Medical Services Medical Directors Advisory Council (EMSMDAC) to advise the Department on issues related to medical direction of the EMS system.
(b) General Provisions.
1. The Director and Deputy Director of the State Office of EMS and Trauma and the State EMS Medical Director shall serve as liaisons between EMSMDAC and the Department, and shall provide support, education, and guidance to EMSMDAC related to its roles.
2. EMSMDAC recommendations are advisory and are not binding on the Department or on agencies under contract to the Department.
3. EMSMDAC shall adopt bylaws subject to the approval of the Department and shall conduct its business in accordance with the Georgia Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et seq, and Open Meetings Act, O.C.G.A. § 50-14-1 et seq. Bylaws shall address frequency of meetings, recording of minutes, membership, creation and function of committees, managing conflicts of interest, voting, and other issues relevant to the function of an advisory council.
4. EMSMDAC shall be composed of between twenty-five (25) and thirty (30) physician members who are knowledgeable in the field of EMS systems and all components thereof, and who represent a broad cross-section of Georgia's EMS programs and the medical community. Membership shall include representation from each of the following categories, provided that a single member may represent more than one category:
(i) At least one member from each of the state's ten EMS Regions;
(ii) At least one representative from each of the following systems of care:
(I) Cardiac
(II) Stroke
(III) Trauma
(IV) Pediatrics
(V) Perinatal Care/Obstetrics
(iii) Physicians with an interest and/or expertise in the provision of emergency medical care.
5. EMSMDAC members shall be appointed by the Commissioner or his/her designee for a term specified in EMSMDAC's bylaws.
6. Each EMSMDAC member shall serve in a volunteer capacity, without remuneration by the Department, and shall not be entitled to reimbursement of any expenses, including travel expenses.
(c) Responsibilities of EMSMDAC shall include, but not be limited to:
1. Acting as a liaison with the medical community, medical facilities, and appropriate governmental entities;
2. Advising and providing consultation to the Department on practice issues related to the care delivered by entities and personnel under the jurisdiction of the Department;
3. Advising on and reviewing matters of medical direction and training in conformity with accepted emergency medical practices and procedures;
4. Recommending and reviewing policies and procedures affecting patient care rendered by EMS personnel;
5. Advising on the scope and extent of EMS practice for the emergency medical services of Georgia;
6. Advising on the scope of practice for EMS personnel licensed in Georgia;
7. Advising on the formulation of medical, communication, and emergency transportation protocols; and
8. Advising on quality improvement issues related to patient care rendered by EMS personnel.
(3) Systems of Care Advisory Council.
(a) Purpose. The Department shall establish a statewide multidisciplinary Systems of Care Advisory Council (SCAC) to advise the Department on issues essential to specialty systems of care in Georgia.
(b) General Provisions.
1. The Director and the Deputy Director of Systems of Care for the State Office of EMS and Trauma shall act as liaisons between SCAC and the Department, and shall provide support, education, and guidance to SCAC related to its roles.
2. SCAC recommendations are advisory and are not binding on the Department or on agencies under contract to the Department.
3. SCAC shall adopt bylaws subject to the approval of the Department and shall conduct its business in accordance with the Georgia Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et seq, and Open Meetings Act, O.C.G.A. § 50-14-1 et seq. Bylaws shall address frequency of meetings, recording of minutes, membership, creation and function of committees, managing conflicts of interest, voting, and other issues relevant to the function of an advisory council.
4. SCAC shall be composed of between twenty-five (25) and thirty (30) members who are knowledgeable in specialty systems of care and all components thereof, and who represent a broad cross-section of Georgia's citizens. Membership shall include representation from each of the following categories, provided that a single member may represent more than one category:
(i) At least one representative from each of the state's ten EMS Regions;
(ii) At least one representative from a designated facility in each of the following specialty systems of care:
(I) Cardiac
(II) Stroke
(III) Trauma
(IV) Pediatrics
(V) Perinatal Care/Obstetrics
(iii) An EMS representative from the statewide Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council;
(iv) An EMS Medical Director representative from the statewide Emergency Medical Services Medical Director Advisory Council;
(v) A representative from hospital emergency preparedness;
(vi) At least one representative from each of the following facility types:
(I) Non-designated hospital
(II) Critical Access hospital
(III) Rural hospital
(IV) Hospital rehabilitation services
(V) Free Standing Emergency Department and/or Urgent Care Center
(vii) A hospital administrator from a designated specialty care center
5. Members shall be appointed by the Commissioner or his/her designee for a term specified in SCAC's bylaws.
6. Each SCAC member shall serve in a volunteer capacity, without remuneration by the Department, and shall not be entitled to reimbursement of any expenses, including travel expenses.
(c) SCAC responsibilities shall include, but not be limited to:
1. Recommending standards and policies which affect those persons, services, or agencies regulated under these rules and Chapter 11 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia;
2. Reviewing and providing comment on legislative proposals as requested by the Department; and
3. Serve to promote the interest of improvement in Georgia's specialty systems of care and all components thereof.

Notes

Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 511-9-2-.03
O.C.G.A. §§ 31-2A-3, 31-2A-6, 31-11-5, 31-11-60.1.
Original Rule entitled "Emergency Medical Services Advisory Councils" adopted. F. December 14, 2011; eff. January 3, 2012. Amended: F. Apr. 27, 2016; eff. May 17, 2016. Amended: New Rule entitled "Statewide Emergency Medical Services Advisory Councils." F. Nov. 14, 2019; eff. Dec. 9, 2019, as specified by the Agency. Amended: F. Feb. 17, 2025; eff. Mar. 16, 2025, as specified by the Agency.

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