§83. Definitions
As used in this chapter, unless the context indicates otherwise, the following terms have the following meanings.
[PL 1981, c. 661, §2 (NEW).]
1.
Advanced emergency medical person.
"Advanced emergency medical person" means an emergency medical services person licensed to perform advanced emergency medical treatment.
[PL 2019, c. 370, §8 (AMD).]
2.
Advanced emergency medical treatment.
"Advanced emergency medical treatment" means those portions of emergency medical treatment:
A.
Defined by the board to be advanced; and
[PL 2011, c. 271, §1 (NEW).]
B.
That the board determines may be performed by persons licensed under this chapter within a system of emergency care approved by the board when acting under the supervision of:
[PL 2011, c. 271, §1 (AMD).]
(1)
An appropriate physician; or
(2)
A physician assistant or nurse practitioner, licensed by the State, and authorized by a hospital to supervise and direct the actions of an emergency medical services person.
[PL 2011, c. 271, §1 (NEW).]
3.
Ambulance.
"Ambulance" means any vehicle, whether an air, ground or water vehicle, that is designed, constructed or routinely used or intended to be used for the transportation of ill or injured persons. The licensing of these vehicles is in addition to any registration required by other authorities. For the purposes of this chapter, vehicles operated by the Maine Army National Guard, Maine Air National Guard or the United States Armed Forces shall not be considered ambulances.
[PL 1983, c. 693, §1 (AMD).]
3-A.
Ambulance attendant.
[PL 2011, c. 271, §2 (RP).]
4.
Ambulance equipment.
"Ambulance equipment" means those materials and devices which are carried in ambulances.
[PL 1981, c. 661, §2 (NEW).]
5.
Ambulance service.
"Ambulance service" means any person, persons or organization that holds itself out to be a provider of transportation of ill or injured persons or that routinely provides transportation for ill or injured persons. For the purposes of this chapter, the Maine Army National Guard, the Maine Air National Guard and the United States Armed Forces are not considered ambulance services. "Ambulance service" does not mean a person, persons or an organization that transports ill or injured persons for reasons not connected with their illness or injury. "Ambulance service" does not mean a nursing home licensed under Title 22, chapter 405, a residential care facility or assisted living program licensed under Title 22, chapter 1664, a children's home licensed under Title 22, chapter 1669, or similar residential facility when transporting its own residents or those of another similarly licensed facility when those residents do not require emergency medical treatment.
[PL 2023, c. 405, Pt. A, §114 (AMD).]
6.
Basic emergency medical services person.
"Basic emergency medical services person" means a person licensed to perform basic emergency medical treatment.
[PL 2019, c. 370, §9 (AMD).]
7.
Basic emergency medical technician.
[PL 2019, c. 370, §10 (RP).]
8.
Basic emergency medical treatment.
"Basic emergency medical treatment" means those portions of emergency medical treatment:
A.
Defined by the board to be basic; and
[PL 2011, c. 271, §4 (NEW).]
B.
That the board determines may be performed by persons licensed under this chapter within a system of emergency care approved by the board when acting under the supervision of:
[PL 2011, c. 271, §4 (AMD).]
(1)
An appropriate physician; or
(2)
A physician assistant or nurse practitioner, licensed by the State, and authorized by a hospital to supervise and direct the actions of an emergency medical services person.
[PL 2011, c. 271, §4 (NEW).]
8-A.
Board.
"Board" means the Emergency Medical Services' Board established pursuant to section 88.
[PL 1989, c. 857, §64 (RPR).]
9.
Commissioner.
"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Public Safety.
[PL 1991, c. 588, §2 (AMD).]
10.
Department.
"Department" means the Department of Public Safety.
[PL 1991, c. 588, §2 (AMD).]
10-A.
Director.
"Director" means the Director of Maine Emergency Medical Services.
[PL 1991, c. 588, §3 (NEW).]
11.
Emergency Medical Services' Advisory Board.
[PL 1985, c. 730, §§7,16 (RP).]
12.
Emergency medical services' person.
"Emergency medical services' person" means any person who routinely provides emergency medical treatment to the sick or injured.
[PL 1981, c. 661, §2 (NEW).]
12-A.
Emergency medical services ambulance operator.
"Emergency medical services ambulance operator" means a person associated with a licensed ground ambulance service who operates an ambulance in emergency mode or transports patients and is not licensed under section 85.
[PL 2021, c. 220, §2 (NEW).]
13.
Emergency medical treatment.
"Emergency medical treatment" means those skills, techniques and judgments, as defined by the board, which are directed to maintaining, improving or preventing the deterioration of the medical condition of the patient and which are appropriate to be delivered by trained persons at the scene of a patient's illness or injury outside the hospital and during transportation to the hospital.
[PL 1985, c. 730, §§8, 16 (AMD).]
13-A.
Emergency medical responder.
[PL 2019, c. 370, §11 (RP).]
14.
Nontransporting emergency medical service.
"Nontransporting emergency medical service" means any organization, person or persons who hold themselves out as providers of emergency medical treatment and who do not routinely provide transportation to ill or injured persons, and who routinely offer or provide services to the general public beyond the boundaries of a single recreational site, business, school or other facility. For the purposes of this chapter, a physician making house calls as a part of ordinary medical practice is not considered to be a nontransporting emergency medical service.
A nontransporting emergency medical service must have an agreement with a licensed ambulance service, to ensure continuity of care and adequate transportation for its patients. An ambulance service is not required to approve of or enter into an agreement with a nontransporting emergency medical service.
[PL 1995, c. 161, §4 (AMD).]
14-A.
Health care practitioner.
"Health care practitioner" has the meaning set forth in Title 24, section 2502, subsection 1‑A.
[PL 1987, c. 638, §1 (NEW).]
14-B.
Flight nurse.
"Flight nurse" means any registered professional nurse, currently licensed in the State, who has completed a prehospital care curriculum authorized by the Emergency Medical Services' Board.
[PL 1993, c. 130, §3 (NEW).]
15.
License.
"License" means a full, temporary, provisional or conditional license issued by the board under this chapter.
[PL 1985, c. 730, §§8, 16 (AMD).]
16.
Licensed ambulance attendant.
[PL 1989, c. 857, §65 (RP).]
16-A.
Maine Emergency Medical Services.
"Maine Emergency Medical Services" means the board, the emergency medical services director and staff within the Department of Public Safety responsible for carrying out the purposes of this chapter.
[PL 1991, c. 588, §4 (AMD).]
16-B.
Medical Direction and Practices Board.
"Medical Direction and Practices Board" means the board consisting of each regional medical director, an emergency physician representing the Maine Chapter of the American College of Emergency Medicine Physicians, an at-large member, a toxicologist or licensed pharmacist, a person licensed under section 85 to provide basic emergency medical treatment, a person licensed under section 85 to provide advanced emergency medical treatment, a pediatric physician, the statewide associate emergency medical services medical director and the statewide emergency medical services medical director. The Medical Direction and Practices Board is responsible for creation, adoption and maintenance of Maine Emergency Medical Services protocols pursuant to section 88‑B.
[PL 2019, c. 617, Pt. C, §1 (AMD).]
17.
Medical control physician.
"Medical control physician" means a physician who supervises emergency medical services persons.
[PL 1989, c. 857, §67 (AMD).]
17-A.
Online medical control.
"Online medical control" means the online physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner, licensed by the State, authorized by a hospital to supervise and direct the actions of emergency medical services persons.
[PL 2007, c. 274, §5 (NEW).]
17-B.
Municipal officers.
"Municipal officers" means:
A.
The members of the select board or councillors of a town; or
[PL 2021, c. 275, §53 (AMD).]
B.
The mayor and aldermen or councillors of a city.
[PL 2015, c. 6, §1 (NEW).]
[PL 2021, c. 275, §53 (AMD).]
18.
Office of Emergency Medical Services.
[PL 1991, c. 588, §5 (RP).]
18-A.
Physician.
"Physician" has the meaning set forth in Title 24, section 2502, subsection 3.
[PL 1987, c. 638, §1 (NEW).]
19.
Protocol or Maine Emergency Medical Services protocol.
"Protocol" or "Maine Emergency Medical Services protocol" means the written statement, developed by the Medical Direction and Practices Board and filed with the board, specifying the conditions under which some form of emergency medical care is to be given by emergency medical services persons.
[PL 2007, c. 274, §6 (AMD).]
20.
Regional council.
"Regional council" means a business entity recognized by the board that represents a geographical area of the State, as designated by the board, with respect to matters subject to this chapter.
[PL 2007, c. 274, §7 (AMD).]
21.
Regions.
"Regions" means those geographical areas of the State designated by the board to be represented by a regional council.
[PL 1985, c. 730, §§8, 16 (AMD).]
21-A.
Registered nurse.
"Registered nurse" has the same meaning set forth under section 2102, subsection 5.
[PL 1993, c. 130, §4 (NEW).]
21-B.
Statewide associate emergency medical services medical director.
"Statewide associate emergency medical services medical director" means a licensed physician appointed by the board pursuant to section 84, subsection 1, paragraph C.
[PL 2019, c. 370, §13 (NEW).]
22.
Statewide emergency medical services' medical director.
"Statewide emergency medical services' medical director" means a licensed physician appointed by the board.
[PL 1987, c. 273, §3 (AMD).]
23.
Trauma.
"Trauma" means a single or multisystem life-threatening or limb-threatening injury requiring immediate medical or surgical intervention or treatment to prevent death or permanent disability.
[PL 1993, c. 311, §3 (NEW).]
24.
Trauma care system.
"Trauma care system" means a subsystem within the emergency medical services system, consisting of an organized arrangement of personnel, equipment and facilities, designed to manage the treatment of the trauma patient.
[PL 1993, c. 311, §3 (NEW).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1981, c. 661, §2 (NEW). PL 1983, c. 693, §§1,2 (AMD). PL 1985, c. 730, §§5-8,16 (AMD). PL 1987, c. 273, §§1-3 (AMD). PL 1987, c. 638, §1 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 857, §§62-68 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 588, §§2-5 (AMD). PL 1993, c. 130, §§3,4 (AMD). PL 1993, c. 311, §3 (AMD). PL 1995, c. 161, §4 (AMD). PL 1997, c. 644, §1 (AMD). PL 1999, c. 182, §§4-7 (AMD). PL 2007, c. 274, §§4-7 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 271, §§1-5 (AMD). PL 2015, c. 6, §1 (AMD). PL 2015, c. 82, §§1-3 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 370, §§8-13 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 617, Pt. C, §1 (AMD). PL 2021, c. 220, §2 (AMD). PL 2021, c. 275, §53 (AMD). PL 2023, c. 405, Pt. A, §114 (AMD).