§11-71-8 Development Criteria and Plans

A.   The department of health shall establish, administer, and maintain the state comprehensive emergency medical services
       system, which shall consist of the emergency medical services systems in the counties of Hawaii, Maui, Kauai, and the city
       and county of Honolulu by applying the following criteria in the development and administration of an emergency medical
       services system in a county:

      1. Consideration of the entire county and all its residents in providing emergency medical services;
      2. Application of emergency medical services component standards throughout the county in determining needs and setting priorities;
      3. Delineation of administrative responsibility for overall system implementation of specific components within a system;
      4. Standardization of emergency medical services throughout the counties insofar as possible;
      5. Development of budget and implementation schedules to reflect existing and future resources and expenditures; and
      6. Accessibility to emergency medical services as required by the state comprehensive emergency medical services system to all individuals regardless of the ability of the individual to pay therefor or of the lack of prepaid health care coverage or proof of such ability or coverage.

B.   The department of health, in consultation with the state emergency medical services advisory committee, shall develop an
       emergency medical services system plan for each county that shall include the following elements:

      1. Public access to emergency services through telephone communication, through a single seven-digit number or through an emergency “911” telephone number;
      2. Central dispatch to expedite emergency medical services and assist in the coordination of emergency services;
      3. Coordination with emergency medical services’ activities of public safety agencies and with the public to provide first response assistance to emergencies, including disaster situations;
      4. Emergency ambulance vehicles in compliance with section 11-72-45, Hawaii Administrative Rules;
      5. A communications system consisting of a “911” or similar system for receiving and referring calls for emergency service from the public; a central dispatch system for dispatching and coordinating emergency medical personnel and vehicles; and a telecommunications system for coordination of medical communications between emergency medical services personnel and emergency physicians;
      6. Prescribed prehospital standing orders for the guidance of trained advanced life support personnel;
      7. Quality assurance control of emergency medical services system; and
      8. The identification of the readiness and capabilities of hospitals and their staffs to adequately, expeditiously, and efficiently receive and treat emergency patients.

C.   The emergency medical services system plan for each county shall identify the levels of emergency medical services
       components of an emergency medical services system prescribed in section 11-72-9 and the respective roles of state and
       county agencies in providing such services, and shall describe the existing and proposed emergency medical services
       personnel, resources, services, and facilities called for by each county plan.

D.   The emergency medical services system plan for each county shall be integrated into the state master plan for emergency
       medical services, which shall be submitted to the legislature.

       [Eff. AUG 12 1985] (Auth: HRS § 321-233) (Imp: HRS §§321-223, 321-224, 321-225)