President Garcia’s Bill for Emergency Medical Service Providers Unanimously Passes Senate Health and Human Services Committee

March 7, 2019

Denver, CO – The Senate Health and Human Services Committee voted unanimously this afternoon to advance SB19-052, Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Provider Scope Of Practice, a bill sponsored by President Leroy M Garcia (D-Pueblo) that would authorize EMS providers to work within their full scope in a clinical setting. The bill now heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee for consideration.

“As someone who has worked as an Emergency Medical Service provider for nearly two decades, I know how critical their work is to our healthcare system” said President Garcia. “By expanding the settings in which EMS providers can practice – which builds on the lifesaving work they do every day – more Coloradans can get the care they need.”

Currently, EMS providers are authorized to practice under the medical direction of a physician in an emergency setting. This bill would update the original statutory language written in 1986 that restricts EMS providers to only function in the out-of-hospital environment. It also maintains the current system of oversight for EMS providers, which has proven highly effective. EMS providers will serve under the clinical supervision of registered nurses, advanced practice registered nurses, and physician assistants, allowing for EMS providers to function as a full member of the multidisciplinary healthcare team.

“While technology and educational requirements for EMS providers have changed over time, the settings in which they can work has largely remained the same since 1986,” said President Garcia. “This bill will allow for innovation within the EMS practice, giving providers an opportunity to leverage their advanced training and education in a wider range of settings, including hospitals and clinics. This is an exciting advancement for the EMS field.”

To learn more about SB19-052, please visit https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb19-052.

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