2010 Tennessee Code
Title 68 - Health, Safety and Environmental Protection
Chapter 140 - Emergency Services
Part 5 - Emergency Medical Services Act of 1983
68-140-502 - Part definitions.

68-140-502. Part definitions.

As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires:

     (1)  “Ambulance” means any privately or publicly owned land or air vehicle that is especially designed, constructed or modified and equipped and is intended to be used for and is maintained or operated for transportation upon the streets, highways or airways in this state for persons who are sick, injured, wounded, otherwise incapacitated, helpless, or in need of medical care;

     (2)  “Ambulance service” means the principal use of any privately or publicly owned ambulance for the transportation of injured or infirm persons;

     (3)  “Authorization” means any and all forms of official permission required by this part, including licenses, permits and certificates;

     (4)  “Board” means the Tennessee emergency medical services board;

     (5)  “Certificate” means official acknowledgment that an individual has successfully complied with all requirements to practice and has completed a training program accredited or recognized by the board;

     (6)  “Commissioner” means the commissioner of health, the commissioner's duly authorized representative, or in the event of the commissioner's absence or a vacancy in the office of commissioner, the deputy commissioner;

     (7)  “Department” means the department of health;

     (8)  “Director” means the director of the division of emergency medical services of the department;

     (9)  “Emergency medical dispatcher” (EMD) means an individual certified by the department as having successfully completed a department-approved EMD course;

     (10)  “Emergency medical response vehicle” means any privately or publicly owned vehicle which is maintained or operated for the transportation of emergency medical care personnel, equipment, and supplies to the scene of a medical emergency for the provision of emergency medical services;

     (11)  “Emergency medical services” (EMS) means the services utilized in responding to the perceived need for immediate medical care in order to prevent loss of life or aggravation of illness or injury;

     (12)  “Emergency medical technician (EMT),”  means an individual licensed to practice emergency medical care;

     (13)  “Emergency medical technician-paramedic”  (EMT-P) means an individual licensed to practice advanced emergency medical care;

     (14)  “Invalid vehicle” means any privately or publicly owned vehicle that is maintained, operated and intended to be used to transport persons who are convalescent, or otherwise nonambulatory, and do not require medical treatment while in transit;

     (15)  “License” means an authorization to a person to provide ambulance services; or an authorization to an individual to practice emergency medical care as an EMT or EMT-P;

     (16)  “Medical direction” means the supervision by a physician licensed to practice in the state of Tennessee of all medical aspects of patient care within EMS;

     (17)  “Member” means a member of the Tennessee emergency medical service board;

     (18)  “Mobile prehospital emergency medical care” means those emergency medical services rendered outside the hospital facility, precedent to and during transportation of such patients to emergency treatment facilities;

     (19)  “Patient” means an individual who, as a result of physical or mental condition, needs medical attention;

     (20)  “Permit” means an authorization issued for an ambulance vehicle as meeting the standards adopted pursuant to this part;

     (21)  “Person” means any individual, association, organization or any other business entity, either profit or nonprofit, any state or local governmental entity, and federal agencies to the extent permitted by federal law;

     (22)  “Practice” means the exercise of principles and skills for effective emergency medical care under medical direction recognized as acts and responsibilities within the discipline of emergency medical services;

     (23)  “Run records” means ambulance run reports relative to a response by an ambulance service or invalid vehicle operator during which a patient is evaluated, treated or transported;

     (24)  “Service” means the provision of organized response by ambulances or emergency response vehicles, or the provision of emergency care on an organized basis;

     (25)  “State” means the state of Tennessee; and

     (26)  “Volunteer personnel” means persons who provide emergency care without expectation of remuneration who do not receive payment for services rendered, and who do not depend on the provision of emergency care for their livelihood or a substantial portion of their livelihood.

[Acts 1983, ch. 440, § 3; T.C.A., § 68-39-502; Acts 1992, ch. 796, § 1; 1993, ch. 273, § 1; 1994, ch. 726, § 1; 1997, ch. 280, § 1.]