Policy:
- The medical direction of prehospital care at the scene of an emergency is the responsibility of those most appropriately trained in providing such care. All care should be provided within the rules and regulations of the State of South Carolina.
Purpose:
- To identify a chain of command to allow field personnel to adequately care for the patient. To assure the patient receives the maximum benefit from prehospital care.
- To minimize the liability of the EMS system as well as the on-scene physician.
Procedure:
- When a non-Medical Control Physician offers assistance to EMS or the patient is being attended by a physician with whom they do not have an ongoing patient relationship, EMS personnel must review the On-Scene Physician Form with the physician. All requisite documentation must be verified and the physician must be approved by on- line Medical Control.
- When the patient is being attended by a physician with whom they have an ongoing patient relationship, EMS personnel may follow orders given by the physician if the orders conform to current EMS guidelines, and if the physician signs the PCR. Notify Medical Control at the earliest opportunity. Any deviation from local EMS protocols requires the physician to accompany the patient to the hospital.
- EMS personnel may accept orders from the patient’s physician over the phone with the approval of Medical Control. The Paramedic should obtain the specific order and the physician’s phone number for relay to Medical Control so that Medical Control can discuss any concerns with the physician directly.