Ark. Code Ann. § 20-13-108: Ambulance service - Triage, treat, and transport to alternative destination - Definitions

(a) As used in this section: (1) (A) "Alternative destination" means a lower-acuity facility that provides medical services, including without limitation: (i) A federally qualified health center; (ii) An urgent care center; (iii) A physician office or medical clinic, as selected by the patient; and (iv) A behavioral or mental healthcare facility including without limitation a crisis stabilization unit. (B) "Alternative destination" does not include a: (i) Critical access hospital; (ii) Dialysis center; (iii) Hospital; (iv) Private residence; or (v) Skilled nursing facility; (2) "Ambulance service" means an entity that provides transportation and emergency medical services to a patient and is: (A) Licensed to service a designated area in this state through a basic 911 system under the Arkansas Public Safety Communications and Next Generation 911 Act of 2019, § 12-10-301 et seq.; (B) Authorized and licensed by the Department of Health to provide care and transportation of patients upon the streets and highways of Arkansas; and (C) Licensed under the Ambulance Licensing Act, § 14-266-101 et seq.; and (3) (A) "Telemedicine" means the use of audiovisual electronic information and communication technology to deliver healthcare services, including without limitation the assessment, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, education, care management, and self-management of a patient. (B) "Telemedicine" includes store-and-forward technology and remote patient monitoring. (C) "Telemedicine" does not include the use of audio-only electronic technology. (b) An ambulance service's operators may triage and transport a patient to an alternative destination in this state or treat in place if the ambulance service is coordinating the care of the patient through telemedicine with a physician for a medical-based complaint or with a behavioral health specialist for a behavioral-based complaint. Added by Act 2023, No. 480,§ 1, eff. 8/1/2023.

(a) As used in this section: (1) (A) "Alternative destination" means a lower-acuity facility that provides medical services, including without limitation: (i) A federally qualified health center; (ii) An urgent care center; (iii) A physician office or medical clinic, as selected by the patient; and (iv) A behavioral or mental healthcare facility including without limitation a crisis stabilization unit. (B) "Alternative destination" does not include a: (i) Critical access hospital; (ii) Dialysis center; (iii) Hospital; (iv) Private residence; or (v) Skilled nursing facility; (2) "Ambulance service" means an entity that provides transportation and emergency medical services to a patient and is: (A) Licensed to service a designated area in this state through a basic 911 system under the Arkansas Public Safety Communications and Next Generation 911 Act of 2019, § 12-10-301 et seq.; (B) Authorized and licensed by the Department of Health to provide care and transportation of patients upon the streets and highways of Arkansas; and (C) Licensed under the Ambulance Licensing Act, § 14-266-101 et seq.; and (3) (A) "Telemedicine" means the use of audiovisual electronic information and communication technology to deliver healthcare services, including without limitation the assessment, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, education, care management, and self-management of a patient. (B) "Telemedicine" includes store-and-forward technology and remote patient monitoring. (C) "Telemedicine" does not include the use of audio-only electronic technology.

sual electronic information and communication technology to deliver healthcare services, including without limitation the assessment, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, education, care management, and self-management of a patient. (B) "Telemedicine" includes store-and-forward technology and remote patient monitoring. (C) "Telemedicine" does not include the use of audio-only electronic technology.

(1) (A) "Alternative destination" means a lower-acuity facility that provides medical services, including without limitation: (i) A federally qualified health center; (ii) An urgent care center; (iii) A physician office or medical clinic, as selected by the patient; and (iv) A behavioral or mental healthcare facility including without limitation a crisis stabilization unit. (B) "Alternative destination" does not include a: (i) Critical access hospital; (ii) Dialysis center; (iii) Hospital; (iv) Private residence; or (v) Skilled nursing facility;

(A) "Alternative destination" means a lower-acuity facility that provides medical services, including without limitation: (i) A federally qualified health center; (ii) An urgent care center; (iii) A physician office or medical clinic, as selected by the patient; and (iv) A behavioral or mental healthcare facility including without limitation a crisis stabilization unit.

(i) A federally qualified health center;

(ii) An urgent care center;

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

(iv) A behavioral or mental healthcare facility including without limitation a crisis stabilization unit.

(B) "Alternative destination" does not include a: (i) Critical access hospital; (ii) Dialysis center; (iii) Hospital; (iv) Private residence; or (v) Skilled nursing facility;

(i) Critical access hospital;

(ii) Dialysis center;

(iii) Hospital;

(iv) Private residence; or

(v) Skilled nursing facility;

(2) "Ambulance service" means an entity that provides transportation and emergency medical services to a patient and is: (A) Licensed to service a designated area in this state through a basic 911 system under the Arkansas Public Safety Communications and Next Generation 911 Act of 2019, § 12-10-301 et seq.; (B) Authorized and licensed by the Department of Health to provide care and transportation of patients upon the streets and highways of Arkansas; and (C) Licensed under the Ambulance Licensing Act, § 14-266-101 et seq.; and

(A) Licensed to service a designated area in this state through a basic 911 system under the Arkansas Public Safety Communications and Next Generation 911 Act of 2019, § 12-10-301 et seq.;

(B) Authorized and licensed by the Department of Health to provide care and transportation of patients upon the streets and highways of Arkansas; and

(C) Licensed under the Ambulance Licensing Act, § 14-266-101 et seq.; and

(3) (A) "Telemedicine" means the use of audiovisual electronic information and communication technology to deliver healthcare services, including without limitation the assessment, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, education, care management, and self-management of a patient. (B) "Telemedicine" includes store-and-forward technology and remote patient monitoring. (C) "Telemedicine" does not include the use of audio-only electronic technology.

(A) "Telemedicine" means the use of audiovisual electronic information and communication technology to deliver healthcare services, including without limitation the assessment, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, education, care management, and self-management of a patient.

(B) "Telemedicine" includes store-and-forward technology and remote patient monitoring.

(C) "Telemedicine" does not include the use of audio-only electronic technology.

al electronic information and communication technology to deliver healthcare services, including without limitation the assessment, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, education, care management, and self-management of a patient.

(B) "Telemedicine" includes store-and-forward technology and remote patient monitoring.

(C) "Telemedicine" does not include the use of audio-only electronic technology.

(b) An ambulance service's operators may triage and transport a patient to an alternative destination in this state or treat in place if the ambulance service is coordinating the care of the patient through telemedicine with a physician for a medical-based complaint or with a behavioral health specialist for a behavioral-based complaint.