Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 511-9-2-.14 - Mandatory Reporting Requirements for EMS Agencies and Medics

(1) All EMS Agencies shall comply with all federal, state and local data reporting requirements, including all data reporting requirements in these Rules.

(2) Data Management Policy

(a) Each EMS Agency that is not contracting out all its requested responses to another EMS Agency is required to have and maintain a Data Management Policy that conforms to the requirements specified by the Department.

1. Each individual that serves as a crew member on any vehicle registered by the EMS Agency shall comply with the EMS Agency's Data Management Policy, provided that the EMS Agency's Data Management Policy is not in conflict with these rules or the policies of the Department.

2. The Data Management Policy must be submitted in a timeframe and manner specified by the Department and on forms specified by the Department.

(3) EMS Responses

(a) EMS Agencies shall maintain a dispatch record on all calls received. The dispatch record shall be made available to the Department within twenty-four (24) hours of a request from the Department, and the record shall be maintained for a minimum of three years and shall contain at a minimum, when applicable, but not be limited to, the following:

1. Date call received;

2. Time call received;

3. Source of call;

4. Call back telephone number;

5. Location of patient;

6. Apparent problems;

7. Unit (unit number, GA EMS Vehicle ID number);

8. Crew dispatched;

9. Time of dispatch;

10. Time arrived at scene;

11. Time left scene;

12. Time arrived at transferring facility;

13. Time left transferring facility;

14. Time arrived at patient's destination or receiving facility; and

15. Destination of patient.

(b) Electronic Patient Care Reports (ePCRs)

1. ePCRs shall be completed for each response made by any vehicle, crew, or Medic for each EMS Agency, as follows:

(i) For responses with no patient present, the ePCR shall be entered into the EMS Agency's ePCR software system by one of the crew members present on the responding vehicle before the end of the current work shift for the responding crew member(s).

(ii) For responses with one or more patients present, an ePCR for each patient present shall be entered into the EMS Agency's ePCR software system by the primary patient caregiver (of the responding crew for the respective EMS Agency and the respective patient) before the end of the current work shift for the primary patient caregiver for that respective EMS Agency and specific patient.

(a) If the primary patient caregiver is unable to enter or complete the ePCR prior to the end of the current scheduled work shift for the primary patient caregiver due to acute injury, illness, or death, the EMS Agency shall assign the ePCR entry and completion to another employee of the respective EMS Agency. ePCRs completed pursuant to this paragraph shall be entered into the EMS Agency's ePCR software system and completed within 24 hours of call completion.

(iii) The individual entering and completing an ePCR is responsible for ensuring that each ePCR is factual and accurate and compliant with the Department's data requirements related to data version, transmission, format, accuracy, completeness, uniformity, integration, validity and accessibility.

2. EMS Agencies shall electronically submit all ePCRs to the Department within 24 hours of call completion, and each submission shall comply with the Department's data submission requirements related to data version, transmission, format, accuracy, completeness, uniformity, integration, validity and accessibility.

3. In the event of a failure of the EMS Agency's ePCR software or the hardware used to access the software, the responding Medics must complete a paper PCR that is accurate and factual and is substantially similar to the EMS Agency's ePCR and the response information must be entered into the EMS Agency's ePCR software by the responding Medics and submitted to the Department within 24 hours of the resolution of the software or hardware failure.

(i) In the event the EMS Agency's software and/or hardware failure extends for longer than 7 calendar days, the EMS Agency shall immediately use the Department's ePCR software for direct entry of ePCRs by the Medics and continue using it until the EMS Agency's software and/or hardware failure is completely resolved.

4. In the event an EMS Agency's ePCR vendor is unable to submit the EMS Agency's ePCRs to the Department in compliance with this rule, whether as a result of a software failure, hardware failure, validation rule(s) failure, or mis-configuration of the ePCR software, the EMS Agency must submit a ePCR to the receiving facility in printed or electronic form, and the response information must be submitted to the Department within 24 hours of the resolution of the software or hardware failure.

(i) In the event the EMS Agency's ePCR vendor is unable to transmit ePCRs to the Department for longer than 7 calendar days, the EMS Agency shall immediately use the Department's ePCR software for direct entry of ePCRs by the Medics and continue using it until the EMS Agency's ePCR vendor is able to transmit ePCRs for the EMS Agency in compliance with this rule.

5. All ePCR software or hardware failures must be reported to the Department within 12 hours of the failure and must be documented by the EMS Agency in a log that shall be made available for inspection by the Department immediately upon request.

6. The Department shall be authorized to inspect the ePCR software system of the EMS Agency to ensure compliance with this rule.

(c) EMS Agency crew members of the vehicle that transports a patient to an acute care facility, hospital, or any other facility that requests a Patient Care Report (PCR), shall deliver a PCR to the receiving facility prior to departing the facility. If the EMS Agency is unable to deliver a complete PCR to the facility electronically or in printed format prior to the departure of the transporting crew from the facility, then the primary patient caregiver of the transporting vehicle shall complete and deliver to the facility a written or printed abbreviated PCR that includes at a minimum, when applicable, the following data elements related to the current incident:

1. patient first name, last name, gender, and date of birth;

2. name of the EMS Agency and names of the crew members that transported the patient;

3. date and time when the call was received;

4. date and time when the transporting EMS Agency crew arrived on scene, left the scene and arrived at the destination;

5. date and time when the patient was injured, last known to be well, and had a return of spontaneous circulation;

6. date and time of first medical contact;

7. name of any first responder agency that cared for or made contact with the patient;

8. patient history, chief complaint, exam findings, and any treatments provided;

9. transporting EMS Agency incident number; and

10. any other information available to the EMS Agency that is necessary for the continued care of the patient at the receiving facility.

(d) If the EMS agency crew members were unable to deliver a completed PCR to the receiving facility electronically or in printed format prior to the departure of the transporting crew and the facility requests a completed PCR from the EMS agency, the EMS agency must provide a completed PCR to the facility within 24 hours of the request.

(4) Personnel Roster

(a) EMS Agencies shall submit rosters to the Department of all drivers and all licensed Medics, Nurses, physician assistants, physicians, and all other licensed healthcare workers employed by, volunteering for, or contracted by the EMS Agency. Rosters shall be submitted on forms specified by the Department with a minimum set of data elements specified by the Department, in compliance with the following:

1. EMS Agencies shall submit additions to their roster of any driver (excluding helicopter pilots), Medic, Nurse, physician assistant, physician, and all other licensed healthcare personnel prior to that person being permitted to staff an Air Ambulance, Ground Ambulance, Neonatal Transport Vehicle or Medical First Responder Vehicle; and

2. EMS Agencies shall submit deletions or modifications to their roster within 96 hours of the employment status change.

(5) Each EMS Agency shall notify the Department in a manner and on forms specified by the Department within twenty-four hours of:

(a) The receipt of a report or other information suggesting that a Medic, EMS Instructor, or EMS Instructor/Coordinator has:

1. Provided services while under the influence of drugs or alcohol;

2. Been arrested or indicted for, charged with, or convicted of any felony, crime of violence, or crime of moral turpitude;

3. Violated the laws of Georgia, another state or territory, or the United States. This shall not include violations which involve minor traffic offenses; or

4. Violated any Department rule or regulation, Scope of Practice, or any of the Department's policies governing EMS in Georgia.

(b) The violation of any Department approved Regional Ambulance Zoning Plan by any EMS Agency or Medic; and

(c) The theft of any Air Ambulance, Ground Ambulance, Neonatal Transport Vehicle, or Medical First Responder Vehicle registered to the EMS Agency.

Notes

Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 511-9-2-.14

O.C.G.A. §§ 31-2A-3, 31-2A-6, 31-11-1 to 31-11-5, 31-11-9, 31-11-34, 31-11-35, 31-11-50, 31-11-51, 31-11-52, 31-11-53.1, 31-11-56 to 31-11-58, 31-11-58.1.

Original Rule entitled "Reciprocity of Emergency Medical Services Personnel" adopted. F. December 14, 2011; eff. January 3, 2012. Note: Correction of non-substantive typographical error in History, original Rule title "Licensure of Emergency Medical Services Personnel" corrected to "Reciprocity of Emergency Medical Services Personnel." Effective May 17, 2016. Repealed: F. Apr. 27, 2016; eff. May 17, 2016. Adopted: New Rule entitled "Mandatory Reporting Requirements for EMS Agencies and Medics." F. Sept. 29, 2021; eff. Oct. 27, 2021, as specified by the Agency. Amended: F. Feb. 17, 2025; eff. Mar. 16, 2025, as specified by the Agency.