{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/32.1-111.3.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/32.1-111.3.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/32.1-111.3.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/32.1-111.3.html"}],"law_id":73301,"edition_id":1,"section_id":73301,"structure_id":13671,"section_number":"32.1-111.3","catch_line":"Statewide Emergency Medical Services Plan; Trauma Triage Plan; Stroke Triage Plan","history":"1996, c. 899; 1997, c. 321; 1998, c. 317; 1999, c. 1000; 2005, cc. 632, 686; 2006, c. 412; 2007, c. 15; 2008, cc. 66, 567; 2009, cc. 222, 269; 2012, c. 418; 2014, c. 320; 2015, cc. 502, 503; 2017, c. 609; 2018, cc. 103, 109.","full_text":"A\n\nThe Board of Health shall develop a Statewide Emergency Medical Services Plan that shall provide for a comprehensive, coordinated, emergency medical services system in the Commonwealth and shall review, update, and publish the Plan triennially, making such revisions as may be necessary to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Commonwealth’s emergency medical services system. The Plan shall incorporate the regional emergency medical services plans prepared by the regional emergency medical services councils pursuant to \u00a7 32.1-111.4:2. Publishing through electronic means and posting on the Department website shall satisfy the publication requirement. The objectives of such Plan and the emergency medical services system shall include the following:1\n\nEstablishing a comprehensive statewide emergency medical services system, incorporating facilities, transportation, manpower, communications, and other components as integral parts of a unified system that will serve to improve the delivery of emergency medical services and thereby decrease morbidity, hospitalization, disability, and mortality;2\n\nReducing the time period between the identification of an acutely ill or injured patient and the definitive treatment;3\n\nIncreasing the accessibility of high quality emergency medical services to all citizens of Virginia;4\n\nPromoting continuing improvement in system components including ground, water, and air transportation; communications; hospital emergency departments and other emergency medical care facilities; health care provider training and health care service delivery; and consumer health information and education;5\n\nEnsuring performance improvement of the emergency medical services system and emergency medical services and care delivered on scene, in transit, in hospital emergency departments, and within the hospital environment;6\n\nWorking with professional medical organizations, hospitals, and other public and private agencies in developing approaches whereby the many persons who are presently using the existing emergency department for routine, nonurgent, primary medical care will be served more appropriately and economically;7\n\nConducting, promoting, and encouraging programs of education and training designed to upgrade the knowledge and skills of emergency medical services personnel, including expanding the availability of paramedic and advanced life support training throughout the Commonwealth with particular emphasis on regions underserved by emergency medical services personnel having such skills and training;8\n\nConsulting with and reviewing, with agencies and organizations, the development of applications to governmental or other sources for grants or other funding to support emergency medical services programs;9\n\nEstablishing a statewide air medical evacuation system which shall be developed by the Department of Health in coordination with the Department of State Police and other appropriate state agencies;10\n\nEstablishing and maintaining a process for designation of appropriate hospitals as trauma centers, certified stroke centers, and specialty care centers based on an applicable national evaluation system;11\n\nMaintaining a comprehensive emergency medical services patient care data collection and performance improvement system pursuant to Article 3.1 (§ 32.1-116.1 et seq.);12\n\nCollecting data and information and preparing reports for the sole purpose of the designation and verification of trauma centers and other specialty care centers pursuant to this section. All data and information collected shall remain confidential and shall be exempt from the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.);13\n\nEstablishing and maintaining a process for crisis intervention and peer support services for emergency medical services personnel and public safety personnel, including statewide availability and accreditation of critical incident stress management or peer support teams and personnel. Such accreditation standards shall include a requirement that a peer support team be headed by a Virginia-licensed clinical psychologist, Virginia-licensed psychiatrist, Virginia-licensed clinical social worker, or Virginia-licensed professional counselor, who has at least five years of experience as a mental health consultant working directly with emergency medical services personnel or public safety personnel;14\n\nEstablishing a statewide program of emergency medical services for children to provide coordination and support for emergency pediatric care, availability of pediatric emergency medical care equipment, and pediatric training of health care providers;15\n\nEstablishing and supporting a statewide system of health and medical emergency response teams, including emergency medical services disaster task forces, coordination teams, disaster medical assistance teams, and other support teams that shall assist local emergency medical services agencies at their request during mass casualty, disaster, or whenever local resources are overwhelmed;16\n\nEstablishing and maintaining a program to improve dispatching of emergency medical services personnel and vehicles, including establishment of and support for emergency medical services dispatch training, accreditation of 911 dispatch centers, and public safety answering points;17\n\nIdentifying and establishing best practices for managing and operating emergency medical services agencies, improving and managing emergency medical services response times, and disseminating such information to the appropriate persons and entities;18\n\nEnsuring that the Department of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund shall be contacted immediately to deploy assistance in the event there are victims as defined in § 19.2-11.01, and that the Department of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund become the lead coordinating agencies for those individuals determined to be victims; and19\n\nMaintaining current contact information for both the Department of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund.B\n\nThe Board of Health shall also develop and maintain as a component of the Emergency Medical Services Plan a statewide prehospital and interhospital Trauma Triage Plan designed to promote rapid access for pediatric and adult trauma patients to appropriate, organized trauma care through the publication and regular updating of information on resources for trauma care and generally accepted criteria for trauma triage and appropriate transfer. The Trauma Triage Plan shall include:1\n\nA strategy for maintaining the statewide Trauma Triage Plan through development of regional trauma triage plans that take into account the region’s geographic variations and trauma care capabilities and resources, including hospitals designated as trauma centers pursuant to subsection A and inclusion of such regional plans in the statewide Trauma Triage Plan. The regional trauma triage plans shall be reviewed triennially. Plans should ensure that the Department of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund shall be contacted immediately to deploy assistance in the event there are victims as defined in § 19.2-11.01, and that the Department of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund become the lead coordinating agencies for those individuals determined to be victims; and maintain current contact information for both the Department of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund.2\n\nA uniform set of proposed criteria for prehospital and interhospital triage and transport of trauma patients developed by the Advisory Board, in consultation with the Virginia Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, the Virginia College of Emergency Physicians, the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, and prehospital care providers. The Advisory Board may revise such criteria from time to time to incorporate accepted changes in medical practice or to respond to needs indicated by analyses of data on patient outcomes. Such criteria shall be used as a guide and resource for health care providers and are not intended to establish, in and of themselves, standards of care or to abrogate the requirements of § 8.01-581.20. A decision by a health care provider to deviate from the criteria shall not constitute negligence per se.3\n\nA performance improvement program for monitoring the quality of emergency medical services and trauma services, consistent with other components of the Emergency Medical Services Plan. The program shall provide for collection and analysis of data on emergency medical and trauma services from existing validated sources, including the emergency medical services patient care information system, pursuant to Article 3.1 (§ 32.1-116.1 et seq.), the Patient Level Data System, and mortality data. The Advisory Board shall review and analyze such data on a quarterly basis and report its findings to the Commissioner. The Advisory Board may execute these duties through a committee composed of persons having expertise in critical care issues and representatives of emergency medical services providers. The program for monitoring and reporting the results of emergency medical services and trauma services data analysis shall be the sole means of encouraging and promoting compliance with the trauma triage criteria.\n\t\t\t\tThe Commissioner shall report aggregate findings of the analysis annually to each regional emergency medical services council. The report shall be available to the public and shall identify, minimally, as defined in the statewide plan, the frequency of (i) incorrect triage in comparison to the total number of trauma patients delivered to a hospital prior to pronouncement of death and (ii) incorrect interfacility transfer for each region.\n\t\t\t\tThe Advisory Board or its designee shall ensure that each hospital director or emergency medical services agency chief is informed of any incorrect interfacility transfer or triage, as defined in the statewide Trauma Triage Plan, specific to the hospital or agency and shall give the hospital or agency an opportunity to correct any facts on which such determination is based, if the hospital or agency asserts that such facts are inaccurate. The findings of the report shall be used to improve the Trauma Triage Plan, including triage, and transport and trauma center designation criteria.\n\t\t\t\tThe Commissioner shall ensure the confidentiality of patient information, in accordance with § 32.1-116.2. Such data or information in the possession of or transmitted to the Commissioner, the Advisory Board, any committee acting on behalf of the Advisory Board, any hospital or prehospital care provider, any regional emergency medical services council, emergency medical services agency that holds a valid license issued by the Commissioner, or group or committee established to monitor the quality of emergency medical services or trauma services pursuant to this subdivision, or any other person shall be privileged and shall not be disclosed or obtained by legal discovery proceedings, unless a circuit court, after a hearing and for good cause shown arising from extraordinary circumstances, orders disclosure of such data.C\n\nThe Board shall also develop and maintain as a component of the Statewide Emergency Medical Services Plan a statewide prehospital and interhospital Stroke Triage Plan designed to promote rapid access for stroke patients to appropriate, organized stroke care through the publication and regular updating of information on resources for stroke care and generally accepted criteria for stroke triage and appropriate transfer. The Stroke Triage Plan shall include:1\n\nA strategy for maintaining the statewide Stroke Triage Plan through development of regional stroke triage plans that take into account the region’s geographic variations and stroke care capabilities and resources, including hospitals designated as comprehensive stroke centers, primary stroke centers, primary stroke centers with supplementary levels of stroke care distinction, and acute stroke-ready hospitals through certification by the Joint Commission, DNV Healthcare, the American Heart Association, or a comparable process consistent with the recommendations of the Brain Attack Coalition, and inclusion of such regional plans in the statewide Stroke Triage Plan. The regional stroke triage plans shall be reviewed triennially.2\n\nA uniform set of proposed criteria for prehospital and interhospital triage and transport of stroke patients developed by the Advisory Board, in consultation with the American Stroke Association, the Virginia College of Emergency Physicians, the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, and prehospital care providers. The Board may revise such criteria from time to time to incorporate accepted changes in medical practice or to respond to needs indicated by analyses of data on patient outcomes. Such criteria shall be used as a guide and resource for health care providers and are not intended to establish, in and of themselves, standards of care or to abrogate the requirements of § 8.01-581.20. A decision by a health care provider to deviate from the criteria shall not constitute negligence per se.D\n\nWhenever any state-owned aircraft, vehicle, or other form of conveyance is utilized under the provisions of this section, an appropriate amount not to exceed the actual costs of operation may be charged by the agency having administrative control of such aircraft, vehicle, or other form of conveyance.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":263783,"text":"The Board of Health shall develop a Statewide Emergency Medical Services Plan that shall provide for a comprehensive, coordinated, emergency medical services system in the Commonwealth and shall review, update, and publish the Plan triennially, making such revisions as may be necessary to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Commonwealth’s emergency medical services system. The Plan shall incorporate the regional emergency medical services plans prepared by the regional emergency medical services councils pursuant to \u00a7 32.1-111.4:2. Publishing through electronic means and posting on the Department website shall satisfy the publication requirement. The objectives of such Plan and the emergency medical services system shall include the following:","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"A1"},"1":{"id":263784,"text":"Establishing a comprehensive statewide emergency medical services system, incorporating facilities, transportation, manpower, communications, and other components as integral parts of a unified system that will serve to improve the delivery of emergency medical services and thereby decrease morbidity, hospitalization, disability, and mortality;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"A1","prefix_anchor":"A1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"A2"},"2":{"id":263785,"text":"Reducing the time period between the identification of an acutely ill or injured patient and the definitive treatment;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"A2","prefix_anchor":"A2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A1","next_prefix":"A3"},"3":{"id":263786,"text":"Increasing the accessibility of high quality emergency medical services to all citizens of Virginia;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"A3","prefix_anchor":"A3","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A2","next_prefix":"A4"},"4":{"id":263787,"text":"Promoting continuing improvement in system components including ground, water, and air transportation; communications; hospital emergency departments and other emergency medical care facilities; health care provider training and health care service delivery; and consumer health information and education;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"A4","prefix_anchor":"A4","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A3","next_prefix":"A5"},"5":{"id":263788,"text":"Ensuring performance improvement of the emergency medical services system and emergency medical services and care delivered on scene, in transit, in hospital emergency departments, and within the hospital environment;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","5"],"prefix":"5","entire_prefix":"A5","prefix_anchor":"A5","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A4","next_prefix":"A6"},"6":{"id":263789,"text":"Working with professional medical organizations, hospitals, and other public and private agencies in developing approaches whereby the many persons who are presently using the existing emergency department for routine, nonurgent, primary medical care will be served more appropriately and economically;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","6"],"prefix":"6","entire_prefix":"A6","prefix_anchor":"A6","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A5","next_prefix":"A7"},"7":{"id":263790,"text":"Conducting, promoting, and encouraging programs of education and training designed to upgrade the knowledge and skills of emergency medical services personnel, including expanding the availability of paramedic and advanced life support training throughout the Commonwealth with particular emphasis on regions underserved by emergency medical services personnel having such skills and training;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","7"],"prefix":"7","entire_prefix":"A7","prefix_anchor":"A7","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A6","next_prefix":"A8"},"8":{"id":263791,"text":"Consulting with and reviewing, with agencies and organizations, the development of applications to governmental or other sources for grants or other funding to support emergency medical services programs;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","8"],"prefix":"8","entire_prefix":"A8","prefix_anchor":"A8","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A7","next_prefix":"A9"},"9":{"id":263792,"text":"Establishing a statewide air medical evacuation system which shall be developed by the Department of Health in coordination with the Department of State Police and other appropriate state agencies;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","9"],"prefix":"9","entire_prefix":"A9","prefix_anchor":"A9","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A8","next_prefix":"A10"},"10":{"id":263793,"text":"Establishing and maintaining a process for designation of appropriate hospitals as trauma centers, certified stroke centers, and specialty care centers based on an applicable national evaluation system;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","10"],"prefix":"10","entire_prefix":"A10","prefix_anchor":"A10","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A9","next_prefix":"A11"},"11":{"id":263794,"text":"Maintaining a comprehensive emergency medical services patient care data collection and performance improvement system pursuant to Article 3.1 (§ 32.1-116.1 et seq.);","type":"section","prefixes":["A","11"],"prefix":"11","entire_prefix":"A11","prefix_anchor":"A11","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A10","next_prefix":"A12"},"12":{"id":263795,"text":"Collecting data and information and preparing reports for the sole purpose of the designation and verification of trauma centers and other specialty care centers pursuant to this section. All data and information collected shall remain confidential and shall be exempt from the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.);","type":"section","prefixes":["A","12"],"prefix":"12","entire_prefix":"A12","prefix_anchor":"A12","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A11","next_prefix":"A13"},"13":{"id":263796,"text":"Establishing and maintaining a process for crisis intervention and peer support services for emergency medical services personnel and public safety personnel, including statewide availability and accreditation of critical incident stress management or peer support teams and personnel. Such accreditation standards shall include a requirement that a peer support team be headed by a Virginia-licensed clinical psychologist, Virginia-licensed psychiatrist, Virginia-licensed clinical social worker, or Virginia-licensed professional counselor, who has at least five years of experience as a mental health consultant working directly with emergency medical services personnel or public safety personnel;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","13"],"prefix":"13","entire_prefix":"A13","prefix_anchor":"A13","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A12","next_prefix":"A14"},"14":{"id":263797,"text":"Establishing a statewide program of emergency medical services for children to provide coordination and support for emergency pediatric care, availability of pediatric emergency medical care equipment, and pediatric training of health care providers;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","14"],"prefix":"14","entire_prefix":"A14","prefix_anchor":"A14","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A13","next_prefix":"A15"},"15":{"id":263798,"text":"Establishing and supporting a statewide system of health and medical emergency response teams, including emergency medical services disaster task forces, coordination teams, disaster medical assistance teams, and other support teams that shall assist local emergency medical services agencies at their request during mass casualty, disaster, or whenever local resources are overwhelmed;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","15"],"prefix":"15","entire_prefix":"A15","prefix_anchor":"A15","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A14","next_prefix":"A16"},"16":{"id":263799,"text":"Establishing and maintaining a program to improve dispatching of emergency medical services personnel and vehicles, including establishment of and support for emergency medical services dispatch training, accreditation of 911 dispatch centers, and public safety answering points;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","16"],"prefix":"16","entire_prefix":"A16","prefix_anchor":"A16","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A15","next_prefix":"A17"},"17":{"id":263800,"text":"Identifying and establishing best practices for managing and operating emergency medical services agencies, improving and managing emergency medical services response times, and disseminating such information to the appropriate persons and entities;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","17"],"prefix":"17","entire_prefix":"A17","prefix_anchor":"A17","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A16","next_prefix":"A18"},"18":{"id":263801,"text":"Ensuring that the Department of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund shall be contacted immediately to deploy assistance in the event there are victims as defined in § 19.2-11.01, and that the Department of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund become the lead coordinating agencies for those individuals determined to be victims; and","type":"section","prefixes":["A","18"],"prefix":"18","entire_prefix":"A18","prefix_anchor":"A18","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A17","next_prefix":"A19"},"19":{"id":263802,"text":"Maintaining current contact information for both the Department of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund.","type":"section","prefixes":["A","19"],"prefix":"19","entire_prefix":"A19","prefix_anchor":"A19","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A18","next_prefix":"B"},"20":{"id":263803,"text":"The Board of Health shall also develop and maintain as a component of the Emergency Medical Services Plan a statewide prehospital and interhospital Trauma Triage Plan designed to promote rapid access for pediatric and adult trauma patients to appropriate, organized trauma care through the publication and regular updating of information on resources for trauma care and generally accepted criteria for trauma triage and appropriate transfer. The Trauma Triage Plan shall include:","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A19","next_prefix":"B1"},"21":{"id":263804,"text":"A strategy for maintaining the statewide Trauma Triage Plan through development of regional trauma triage plans that take into account the region’s geographic variations and trauma care capabilities and resources, including hospitals designated as trauma centers pursuant to subsection A and inclusion of such regional plans in the statewide Trauma Triage Plan. The regional trauma triage plans shall be reviewed triennially. Plans should ensure that the Department of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund shall be contacted immediately to deploy assistance in the event there are victims as defined in § 19.2-11.01, and that the Department of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund become the lead coordinating agencies for those individuals determined to be victims; and maintain current contact information for both the Department of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund.","type":"section","prefixes":["B","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"B1","prefix_anchor":"B1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"B2"},"22":{"id":263805,"text":"A uniform set of proposed criteria for prehospital and interhospital triage and transport of trauma patients developed by the Advisory Board, in consultation with the Virginia Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, the Virginia College of Emergency Physicians, the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, and prehospital care providers. The Advisory Board may revise such criteria from time to time to incorporate accepted changes in medical practice or to respond to needs indicated by analyses of data on patient outcomes. Such criteria shall be used as a guide and resource for health care providers and are not intended to establish, in and of themselves, standards of care or to abrogate the requirements of § 8.01-581.20. A decision by a health care provider to deviate from the criteria shall not constitute negligence per se.","type":"section","prefixes":["B","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"B2","prefix_anchor":"B2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B1","next_prefix":"B3"},"23":{"id":263806,"text":"A performance improvement program for monitoring the quality of emergency medical services and trauma services, consistent with other components of the Emergency Medical Services Plan. The program shall provide for collection and analysis of data on emergency medical and trauma services from existing validated sources, including the emergency medical services patient care information system, pursuant to Article 3.1 (§ 32.1-116.1 et seq.), the Patient Level Data System, and mortality data. The Advisory Board shall review and analyze such data on a quarterly basis and report its findings to the Commissioner. The Advisory Board may execute these duties through a committee composed of persons having expertise in critical care issues and representatives of emergency medical services providers. The program for monitoring and reporting the results of emergency medical services and trauma services data analysis shall be the sole means of encouraging and promoting compliance with the trauma triage criteria.\n\t\t\t\tThe Commissioner shall report aggregate findings of the analysis annually to each regional emergency medical services council. The report shall be available to the public and shall identify, minimally, as defined in the statewide plan, the frequency of (i) incorrect triage in comparison to the total number of trauma patients delivered to a hospital prior to pronouncement of death and (ii) incorrect interfacility transfer for each region.\n\t\t\t\tThe Advisory Board or its designee shall ensure that each hospital director or emergency medical services agency chief is informed of any incorrect interfacility transfer or triage, as defined in the statewide Trauma Triage Plan, specific to the hospital or agency and shall give the hospital or agency an opportunity to correct any facts on which such determination is based, if the hospital or agency asserts that such facts are inaccurate. The findings of the report shall be used to improve the Trauma Triage Plan, including triage, and transport and trauma center designation criteria.\n\t\t\t\tThe Commissioner shall ensure the confidentiality of patient information, in accordance with § 32.1-116.2. Such data or information in the possession of or transmitted to the Commissioner, the Advisory Board, any committee acting on behalf of the Advisory Board, any hospital or prehospital care provider, any regional emergency medical services council, emergency medical services agency that holds a valid license issued by the Commissioner, or group or committee established to monitor the quality of emergency medical services or trauma services pursuant to this subdivision, or any other person shall be privileged and shall not be disclosed or obtained by legal discovery proceedings, unless a circuit court, after a hearing and for good cause shown arising from extraordinary circumstances, orders disclosure of such data.","type":"section","prefixes":["B","3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"B3","prefix_anchor":"B3","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B2","next_prefix":"C"},"24":{"id":263807,"text":"The Board shall also develop and maintain as a component of the Statewide Emergency Medical Services Plan a statewide prehospital and interhospital Stroke Triage Plan designed to promote rapid access for stroke patients to appropriate, organized stroke care through the publication and regular updating of information on resources for stroke care and generally accepted criteria for stroke triage and appropriate transfer. The Stroke Triage Plan shall include:","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B3","next_prefix":"C1"},"25":{"id":263808,"text":"A strategy for maintaining the statewide Stroke Triage Plan through development of regional stroke triage plans that take into account the region’s geographic variations and stroke care capabilities and resources, including hospitals designated as comprehensive stroke centers, primary stroke centers, primary stroke centers with supplementary levels of stroke care distinction, and acute stroke-ready hospitals through certification by the Joint Commission, DNV Healthcare, the American Heart Association, or a comparable process consistent with the recommendations of the Brain Attack Coalition, and inclusion of such regional plans in the statewide Stroke Triage Plan. The regional stroke triage plans shall be reviewed triennially.","type":"section","prefixes":["C","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"C1","prefix_anchor":"C1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"C2"},"26":{"id":263809,"text":"A uniform set of proposed criteria for prehospital and interhospital triage and transport of stroke patients developed by the Advisory Board, in consultation with the American Stroke Association, the Virginia College of Emergency Physicians, the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, and prehospital care providers. The Board may revise such criteria from time to time to incorporate accepted changes in medical practice or to respond to needs indicated by analyses of data on patient outcomes. Such criteria shall be used as a guide and resource for health care providers and are not intended to establish, in and of themselves, standards of care or to abrogate the requirements of § 8.01-581.20. A decision by a health care provider to deviate from the criteria shall not constitute negligence per se.","type":"section","prefixes":["C","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"C2","prefix_anchor":"C2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"C1","next_prefix":"D"},"27":{"id":263810,"text":"Whenever any state-owned aircraft, vehicle, or other form of conveyance is utilized under the provisions of this section, an appropriate amount not to exceed the actual costs of operation may be charged by the agency having administrative control of such aircraft, vehicle, or other form of conveyance.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C2"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13671,"edition_id":1,"name":"Statewide Emergency Medical Services System and Services","identifier":"2.1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13670,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:31","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:31","permalink":{"id":202513,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13671,"identifier":"2.1","token":"32.1\/4\/2.1","url":"\/32.1\/4\/2.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13670,"edition_id":1,"name":"Health Care Planning","identifier":"4","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12727,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:31","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:31","permalink":{"id":202389,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13670,"identifier":"4","token":"32.1\/4","url":"\/32.1\/4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12727,"edition_id":1,"name":"Health","identifier":"32.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","permalink":{"id":201099,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12727,"identifier":"32.1","token":"32.1","url":"\/32.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":74269,"structure_id":13671,"section_number":"32.1-111.1","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/32.1-111.1\/","token":"32.1\/4\/2.1\/32.1-111.1","metadata":false},{"id":85093,"structure_id":13671,"section_number":"32.1-111.10","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/32.1-111.10\/","token":"32.1\/4\/2.1\/32.1-111.10","metadata":false},{"id":59561,"structure_id":13671,"section_number":"32.1-111.12","catch_line":"Virginia Rescue Squads Assistance Fund; disbursements","url":"\/32.1-111.12\/","token":"32.1\/4\/2.1\/32.1-111.12","metadata":false},{"id":69432,"structure_id":13671,"section_number":"32.1-111.12:01","catch_line":"Financial Assistance and Review Committee; appointment; terms; duties","url":"\/32.1-111.12_01\/","token":"32.1\/4\/2.1\/32.1-111.12_01","metadata":false},{"id":54647,"structure_id":13671,"section_number":"32.1-111.13","catch_line":"Annual financial reports","url":"\/32.1-111.13\/","token":"32.1\/4\/2.1\/32.1-111.13","metadata":false},{"id":76464,"structure_id":13671,"section_number":"32.1-111.14","catch_line":"Powers of governing bodies of counties, cities, and towns","url":"\/32.1-111.14\/","token":"32.1\/4\/2.1\/32.1-111.14","metadata":false},{"id":61007,"structure_id":13671,"section_number":"32.1-111.14:1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/32.1-111.14_1\/","token":"32.1\/4\/2.1\/32.1-111.14_1","metadata":false},{"id":80023,"structure_id":13671,"section_number":"32.1-111.14:2","catch_line":"Establishment of emergency medical services zones or districts; 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emergency medical services personnel and vehicles; response times; enforcement provisions; civil penalties","url":"\/32.1-111.4\/","token":"32.1\/4\/2.1\/32.1-111.4","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/32.1-111.3\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1996. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 899<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 13 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1997, chapter 321<\/a>; in 1998, chapter 317<\/a>; in 1999, chapter 1000<\/a>; in 2005, chapters 632<\/a> and 686<\/a>; in 2006, chapter 412<\/a>; in 2007, chapter 15<\/a>; in 2008, chapters 66<\/a> and 567<\/a>; in 2009, chapters 222<\/a> and 269<\/a>; in 2012, chapter 418<\/a>; in 2014, chapter 320<\/a>; in 2015, chapters 502<\/a> and 503<\/a>; in 2017, chapter 609<\/a>; in 2018, chapters 103<\/a> and 109<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":74779,"section_number":"19.2-271.4","catch_line":"Privileged communications by certain public safety personnel","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-271.4\/"},{"id":66206,"section_number":"32.1-116.1","catch_line":"Prehospital patient care reporting procedure; trauma registry; confidentiality","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-116.1\/"},{"id":58930,"section_number":"32.1-127.1:03","catch_line":"Health records privacy","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-127.1_03\/"},{"id":76988,"section_number":"46.2-694","catch_line":"(Contingent effective date) Fees for vehicles designed and used for transportation of passengers; weights used for computing fees; burden of proof","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-694\/"},{"id":67541,"section_number":"65.2-605","catch_line":"Liability of employer for medical services ordered by Commission; fee schedules for medical services; malpractice; assistants-at-surgery; coding","order_by":null,"url":"\/65.2-605\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":56192,"section_number":"19.2-11.01","catch_line":"Crime victim and witness rights","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-11.01\/"},{"id":55569,"section_number":"2.2-3700","catch_line":"Short title; policy","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-3700\/"},{"id":64281,"section_number":"32.1-111.4:2","catch_line":"Regional emergency medical services councils","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-111.4_2\/"},{"id":66206,"section_number":"32.1-116.1","catch_line":"Prehospital patient care reporting procedure; trauma registry; confidentiality","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-116.1\/"},{"id":75772,"section_number":"32.1-116.2","catch_line":"Confidential nature of information supplied; publication; liability protections","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-116.2\/"},{"id":75087,"section_number":"8.01-581.20","catch_line":"Standard of care in proceeding before medical malpractice review panel; expert testimony; determination of standard in action for damages","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-581.20\/"}],"permalink":{"id":202587,"object_type":"law","relational_id":73301,"identifier":"32.1-111.3","token":"32.1\/4\/2.1\/32.1-111.3","url":"\/32.1-111.3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/32.1-111.3\/","token":"32.1\/4\/2.1\/32.1-111.3","dublin_core":{"Title":"Statewide Emergency Medical Services Plan; Trauma Triage Plan; Stroke Triage Plan","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 32.1-111.3","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> The Board<\/span> of Health shall develop a Statewide Emergency Medical Services<\/span> Plan that shall provide for a comprehensive, coordinated, emergency medical services<\/span> system<\/span> in the Commonwealth and shall review, update, and publish the Plan triennially, making such revisions as may be necessary to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Commonwealth’s emergency medical services<\/span> system<\/span>. The Plan shall incorporate the regional emergency medical services<\/span> plans prepared by the regional emergency medical services<\/span> councils pursuant to \u00a7 32.1-111.4:2<\/a>. Publishing through electronic means and posting on the Department<\/span> website shall satisfy the publication requirement. The objectives of such Plan and the emergency medical services<\/span> system<\/span> shall include the following: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> Establishing a comprehensive statewide emergency medical services<\/span> system<\/span>, incorporating facilities, transportation, manpower, communications, and other components as integral parts of a unified system that will serve to improve the delivery of emergency medical services<\/span> and thereby decrease morbidity, hospitalization, disability, and mortality; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> Reducing the time period between the identification of an acutely ill or injured patient and the definitive treatment; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> Increasing the accessibility of high quality emergency medical services<\/span> to all citizens of Virginia; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> Promoting continuing improvement in system components including ground, water, and air transportation; communications; hospital emergency departments<\/span> and other emergency medical care facilities; health care provider training and health care service delivery; and consumer health information and education; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

5.<\/span> Ensuring performance improvement of the emergency medical services<\/span> system<\/span> and emergency medical services<\/span> and care delivered on scene, in transit, in hospital emergency departments<\/span>, and within the hospital environment; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

6.<\/span> Working with professional medical organizations, hospitals, and other public and private agencies in developing approaches whereby the many persons<\/span> who are presently using the existing emergency department<\/span> for routine, nonurgent, primary medical care will be served more appropriately and economically; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

7.<\/span> Conducting, promoting, and encouraging programs of education and training designed to upgrade the knowledge and skills of emergency medical services<\/span> personnel<\/span>, including expanding the availability of paramedic and advanced life support training throughout the Commonwealth with particular emphasis on regions underserved by emergency medical services<\/span> personnel<\/span> having such skills and training; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

8.<\/span> Consulting with and reviewing, with agencies and organizations, the development of applications to governmental or other sources for grants or other funding to support emergency medical services<\/span> programs; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

9.<\/span> Establishing a statewide air medical evacuation system which shall be developed by the Department<\/span> of Health in coordination with the Department<\/span> of State Police and other appropriate state agencies; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

10.<\/span> Establishing and maintaining a process for designation of appropriate hospitals as trauma centers, certified stroke centers, and specialty care centers based on an applicable national evaluation system; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

11.<\/span> Maintaining a comprehensive emergency medical services<\/span> patient care data collection and performance improvement system pursuant to Article 3.1 (§ 32.1-116.1<\/a> et seq.); <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

12.<\/span> Collecting data and information and preparing reports for the sole purpose of the designation and verification of trauma centers and other specialty care centers pursuant to this section. All data and information collected shall remain confidential and shall be exempt from the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700<\/a> et seq.); <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

13.<\/span> Establishing and maintaining a process for crisis intervention and peer support services for emergency medical services<\/span> personnel<\/span> and public safety personnel, including statewide availability and accreditation of critical incident stress management or peer support teams and personnel. Such accreditation standards shall include a requirement that a peer support team be headed by a Virginia-licensed clinical psychologist, Virginia-licensed psychiatrist, Virginia-licensed clinical social worker, or Virginia-licensed professional counselor, who has at least five years of experience as a mental health consultant working directly with emergency medical services<\/span> personnel<\/span> or public safety personnel; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

14.<\/span> Establishing a statewide program of emergency medical services<\/span> for children to provide coordination and support for emergency pediatric care, availability of pediatric emergency medical care equipment, and pediatric training of health care providers; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

15.<\/span> Establishing and supporting a statewide system of health and medical emergency response teams, including emergency medical services<\/span> disaster task forces, coordination teams, disaster medical assistance teams, and other support teams that shall assist local emergency medical services<\/span> agencies at their request during mass casualty, disaster, or whenever local resources are overwhelmed; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

16.<\/span> Establishing and maintaining a program to improve dispatching of emergency medical services<\/span> personnel<\/span> and vehicles, including establishment of and support for emergency medical services<\/span> dispatch training, accreditation of 911 dispatch centers, and public safety answering points; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

17.<\/span> Identifying and establishing best practices for managing and operating emergency medical services<\/span> agencies, improving and managing emergency medical services<\/span> response times, and disseminating such information to the appropriate persons<\/span> and entities; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

18.<\/span> Ensuring that the Department<\/span> of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund shall be contacted immediately to deploy assistance in the event there are victims as defined in § 19.2-11.01<\/a>, and that the Department<\/span> of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund become the lead coordinating agencies for those individuals determined to be victims; and <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

19.<\/span> Maintaining current contact information for both the Department<\/span> of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The Board<\/span> of Health shall also develop and maintain as a component of the Emergency Medical Services<\/span> Plan a statewide prehospital and interhospital Trauma Triage Plan designed to promote rapid access for pediatric and adult trauma patients to appropriate, organized trauma care through the publication and regular updating of information on resources for trauma care and generally accepted criteria for trauma triage and appropriate transfer. The Trauma Triage Plan shall include: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> A strategy for maintaining the statewide Trauma Triage Plan through development of regional trauma triage plans that take into account the region’s geographic variations and trauma care capabilities and resources, including hospitals designated as trauma centers pursuant to subsection A and inclusion of such regional plans in the statewide Trauma Triage Plan. The regional trauma triage plans shall be reviewed triennially. Plans should ensure that the Department<\/span> of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund shall be contacted immediately to deploy assistance in the event there are victims as defined in § 19.2-11.01<\/a>, and that the Department<\/span> of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund become the lead coordinating agencies for those individuals determined to be victims; and maintain current contact information for both the Department<\/span> of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> A uniform set of proposed criteria for prehospital and interhospital triage and transport of trauma patients developed by the Advisory Board<\/span>, in consultation with the Virginia Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, the Virginia College of Emergency Physicians, the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, and prehospital care providers. The Advisory Board<\/span> may revise such criteria from time to time to incorporate accepted changes in medical practice or to respond to needs indicated by analyses of data on patient outcomes. Such criteria shall be used as a guide and resource for health care providers and are not intended to establish, in and of themselves, standards of care or to abrogate the requirements of § 8.01-581.20<\/a>. A decision by a health care provider to deviate from the criteria shall not constitute negligence<\/span> per se. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> A performance improvement program for monitoring the quality of emergency medical services<\/span> and trauma services, consistent with other components of the Emergency Medical Services<\/span> Plan. The program shall provide for collection and analysis of data on emergency medical and trauma services from existing validated sources, including the emergency medical services<\/span> patient care information system, pursuant to Article 3.1 (§ 32.1-116.1<\/a> et seq.), the Patient Level Data System, and mortality data. The Advisory Board<\/span> shall review and analyze such data on a quarterly basis and report its findings<\/span> to the Commissioner<\/span>. The Advisory Board<\/span> may execute these duties through a committee composed of persons<\/span> having expertise in critical care issues<\/span> and representatives of emergency medical services<\/span> providers<\/span>. The program for monitoring and reporting the results of emergency medical services<\/span> and trauma services data analysis shall be the sole means of encouraging and promoting compliance with the trauma triage criteria.\n\t\t\t\tThe Commissioner<\/span> shall report aggregate findings<\/span> of the analysis annually to each regional emergency medical services<\/span> council. The report shall be available to the public and shall identify, minimally, as defined in the statewide plan, the frequency of (i) incorrect triage in comparison to the total number of trauma patients delivered to a hospital prior to pronouncement of death and (ii) incorrect interfacility transfer for each region.\n\t\t\t\tThe Advisory Board<\/span> or its designee shall ensure that each hospital director or emergency medical services<\/span> agency<\/span> chief is informed of any incorrect interfacility transfer or triage, as defined in the statewide Trauma Triage Plan, specific to the hospital or agency and shall give the hospital or agency an opportunity to correct any facts<\/span> on which such determination is based, if the hospital or agency asserts that such facts<\/span> are inaccurate. The findings<\/span> of the report shall be used to improve the Trauma Triage Plan, including triage, and transport and trauma center designation criteria.\n\t\t\t\tThe Commissioner<\/span> shall ensure the confidentiality of patient information, in accordance with § 32.1-116.2<\/a>. Such data or information in the possession<\/span> of or transmitted to the Commissioner<\/span>, the Advisory Board<\/span>, any committee acting on behalf of the Advisory Board<\/span>, any hospital or prehospital care provider, any regional emergency medical services<\/span> council, emergency medical services<\/span> agency<\/span> that holds a valid license issued by the Commissioner<\/span>, or group or committee established to monitor the quality of emergency medical services<\/span> or trauma services pursuant to this subdivision, or any other person<\/span> shall be privileged and shall not be disclosed or obtained by legal discovery<\/span> proceedings, unless a circuit<\/span> court<\/span>, after a hearing<\/span> and for good cause shown arising from extraordinary circumstances, orders<\/span> disclosure of such data. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> The Board shall also develop and maintain as a component of the Statewide Emergency Medical Services<\/span> Plan a statewide prehospital and interhospital Stroke Triage Plan designed to promote rapid access for stroke patients to appropriate, organized stroke care through the publication and regular updating of information on resources for stroke care and generally accepted criteria for stroke triage and appropriate transfer. The Stroke Triage Plan shall include: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> A strategy for maintaining the statewide Stroke Triage Plan through development of regional stroke triage plans that take into account the region’s geographic variations and stroke care capabilities and resources, including hospitals designated as comprehensive stroke centers, primary stroke centers, primary stroke centers with supplementary levels of stroke care distinction, and acute stroke-ready hospitals through certification by the Joint Commission, DNV Healthcare, the American Heart Association, or a comparable process consistent with the recommendations of the Brain Attack Coalition, and inclusion of such regional plans in the statewide Stroke Triage Plan. The regional stroke triage plans shall be reviewed triennially. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> A uniform set of proposed criteria for prehospital and interhospital triage and transport of stroke patients developed by the Advisory Board<\/span>, in consultation with the American Stroke Association, the Virginia College of Emergency Physicians, the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, and prehospital care providers. The Board may revise such criteria from time to time to incorporate accepted changes in medical practice or to respond to needs indicated by analyses of data on patient outcomes. Such criteria shall be used as a guide and resource for health care providers and are not intended to establish, in and of themselves, standards of care or to abrogate the requirements of § 8.01-581.20<\/a>. A decision by a health care provider to deviate from the criteria shall not constitute negligence<\/span> per se. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> Whenever any state-owned aircraft, vehicle, or other form of conveyance is utilized under the provisions of this section, an appropriate amount not to exceed the actual costs of operation may be charged by the agency having administrative control of such aircraft, vehicle, or other form of conveyance. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nSTATEWIDE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PLAN; TRAUMA TRIAGE PLAN; STROKE TRIAGE\nPLAN (\u00a7 32.1-111.3)\n\nA. The Board of Health shall develop a Statewide Emergency Medical Services Plan\nthat shall provide for a comprehensive, coordinated, emergency medical services\nsystem in the Commonwealth and shall review, update, and publish the Plan\ntriennially, making such revisions as may be necessary to improve the\neffectiveness and efficiency of the Commonwealth’s emergency medical\nservices system. The Plan shall incorporate the regional emergency medical\nservices plans prepared by the regional emergency medical services councils\npursuant to \u00a7 32.1-111.4:2. Publishing through electronic means and posting on\nthe Department website shall satisfy the publication requirement. The objectives\nof such Plan and the emergency medical services system shall include the\nfollowing:\n\n 1. Establishing a comprehensive statewide emergency medical services system,\n incorporating facilities, transportation, manpower, communications, and other\n components as integral parts of a unified system that will serve to improve\n the delivery of emergency medical services and thereby decrease morbidity,\n hospitalization, disability, and mortality;\n\n 2. Reducing the time period between the identification of an acutely ill or\n injured patient and the definitive treatment;\n\n 3. Increasing the accessibility of high quality emergency medical services to\n all citizens of Virginia;\n\n 4. Promoting continuing improvement in system components including ground,\n water, and air transportation; communications; hospital emergency departments\n and other emergency medical care facilities; health care provider training and\n health care service delivery; and consumer health information and education;\n\n 5. Ensuring performance improvement of the emergency medical services system\n and emergency medical services and care delivered on scene, in transit, in\n hospital emergency departments, and within the hospital environment;\n\n 6. Working with professional medical organizations, hospitals, and other\n public and private agencies in developing approaches whereby the many persons\n who are presently using the existing emergency department for routine,\n nonurgent, primary medical care will be served more appropriately and\n economically;\n\n 7. Conducting, promoting, and encouraging programs of education and training\n designed to upgrade the knowledge and skills of emergency medical services\n personnel, including expanding the availability of paramedic and advanced life\n support training throughout the Commonwealth with particular emphasis on\n regions underserved by emergency medical services personnel having such skills\n and training;\n\n 8. Consulting with and reviewing, with agencies and organizations, the\n development of applications to governmental or other sources for grants or\n other funding to support emergency medical services programs;\n\n 9. Establishing a statewide air medical evacuation system which shall be\n developed by the Department of Health in coordination with the Department of\n State Police and other appropriate state agencies;\n\n 10. Establishing and maintaining a process for designation of appropriate\n hospitals as trauma centers, certified stroke centers, and specialty care\n centers based on an applicable national evaluation system;\n\n 11. Maintaining a comprehensive emergency medical services patient care data\n collection and performance improvement system pursuant to Article 3.1 (§\n 32.1-116.1 et seq.);\n\n 12. Collecting data and information and preparing reports for the sole purpose\n of the designation and verification of trauma centers and other specialty care\n centers pursuant to this section. All data and information collected shall\n remain confidential and shall be exempt from the provisions of the Virginia\n Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.);\n\n 13. Establishing and maintaining a process for crisis intervention and peer\n support services for emergency medical services personnel and public safety\n personnel, including statewide availability and accreditation of critical\n incident stress management or peer support teams and personnel. Such\n accreditation standards shall include a requirement that a peer support team\n be headed by a Virginia-licensed clinical psychologist, Virginia-licensed\n psychiatrist, Virginia-licensed clinical social worker, or Virginia-licensed\n professional counselor, who has at least five years of experience as a mental\n health consultant working directly with emergency medical services personnel\n or public safety personnel;\n\n 14. Establishing a statewide program of emergency medical services for\n children to provide coordination and support for emergency pediatric care,\n availability of pediatric emergency medical care equipment, and pediatric\n training of health care providers;\n\n 15. Establishing and supporting a statewide system of health and medical\n emergency response teams, including emergency medical services disaster task\n forces, coordination teams, disaster medical assistance teams, and other\n support teams that shall assist local emergency medical services agencies at\n their request during mass casualty, disaster, or whenever local resources are\n overwhelmed;\n\n 16. Establishing and maintaining a program to improve dispatching of emergency\n medical services personnel and vehicles, including establishment of and\n support for emergency medical services dispatch training, accreditation of 911\n dispatch centers, and public safety answering points;\n\n 17. Identifying and establishing best practices for managing and operating\n emergency medical services agencies, improving and managing emergency medical\n services response times, and disseminating such information to the appropriate\n persons and entities;\n\n 18. Ensuring that the Department of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia\n Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund shall be contacted immediately to deploy\n assistance in the event there are victims as defined in § 19.2-11.01, and\n that the Department of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Criminal\n Injuries Compensation Fund become the lead coordinating agencies for those\n individuals determined to be victims; and\n\n 19. Maintaining current contact information for both the Department of\n Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Criminal Injuries Compensation\n Fund.\n\nB. The Board of Health shall also develop and maintain as a component of the\nEmergency Medical Services Plan a statewide prehospital and interhospital Trauma\nTriage Plan designed to promote rapid access for pediatric and adult trauma\npatients to appropriate, organized trauma care through the publication and\nregular updating of information on resources for trauma care and generally\naccepted criteria for trauma triage and appropriate transfer. The Trauma Triage\nPlan shall include:\n\n 1. A strategy for maintaining the statewide Trauma Triage Plan through\n development of regional trauma triage plans that take into account the\n region’s geographic variations and trauma care capabilities and\n resources, including hospitals designated as trauma centers pursuant to\n subsection A and inclusion of such regional plans in the statewide Trauma\n Triage Plan. The regional trauma triage plans shall be reviewed triennially.\n Plans should ensure that the Department of Criminal Justice Services and the\n Virginia Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund shall be contacted immediately to\n deploy assistance in the event there are victims as defined in §\n 19.2-11.01, and that the Department of Criminal Justice Services and the\n Virginia Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund become the lead coordinating\n agencies for those individuals determined to be victims; and maintain current\n contact information for both the Department of Criminal Justice Services and\n the Virginia Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund.\n\n 2. A uniform set of proposed criteria for prehospital and interhospital triage\n and transport of trauma patients developed by the Advisory Board, in\n consultation with the Virginia Chapter of the American College of Surgeons,\n the Virginia College of Emergency Physicians, the Virginia Hospital and\n Healthcare Association, and prehospital care providers. The Advisory Board may\n revise such criteria from time to time to incorporate accepted changes in\n medical practice or to respond to needs indicated by analyses of data on\n patient outcomes. Such criteria shall be used as a guide and resource for\n health care providers and are not intended to establish, in and of themselves,\n standards of care or to abrogate the requirements of § 8.01-581.20. A\n decision by a health care provider to deviate from the criteria shall not\n constitute negligence per se.\n\n 3. A performance improvement program for monitoring the quality of emergency\n medical services and trauma services, consistent with other components of the\n Emergency Medical Services Plan. The program shall provide for collection and\n analysis of data on emergency medical and trauma services from existing\n validated sources, including the emergency medical services patient care\n information system, pursuant to Article 3.1 (§ 32.1-116.1 et seq.), the\n Patient Level Data System, and mortality data. The Advisory Board shall review\n and analyze such data on a quarterly basis and report its findings to the\n Commissioner. The Advisory Board may execute these duties through a committee\n composed of persons having expertise in critical care issues and\n representatives of emergency medical services providers. The program for\n monitoring and reporting the results of emergency medical services and trauma\n services data analysis shall be the sole means of encouraging and promoting\n compliance with the trauma triage criteria.\n \t\t\t\tThe Commissioner shall report aggregate findings of the analysis annually\n to each regional emergency medical services council. The report shall be\n available to the public and shall identify, minimally, as defined in the\n statewide plan, the frequency of (i) incorrect triage in comparison to the\n total number of trauma patients delivered to a hospital prior to pronouncement\n of death and (ii) incorrect interfacility transfer for each region.\n \t\t\t\tThe Advisory Board or its designee shall ensure that each hospital\n director or emergency medical services agency chief is informed of any\n incorrect interfacility transfer or triage, as defined in the statewide Trauma\n Triage Plan, specific to the hospital or agency and shall give the hospital or\n agency an opportunity to correct any facts on which such determination is\n based, if the hospital or agency asserts that such facts are inaccurate. The\n findings of the report shall be used to improve the Trauma Triage Plan,\n including triage, and transport and trauma center designation criteria.\n \t\t\t\tThe Commissioner shall ensure the confidentiality of patient information,\n in accordance with § 32.1-116.2. Such data or information in the\n possession of or transmitted to the Commissioner, the Advisory Board, any\n committee acting on behalf of the Advisory Board, any hospital or prehospital\n care provider, any regional emergency medical services council, emergency\n medical services agency that holds a valid license issued by the Commissioner,\n or group or committee established to monitor the quality of emergency medical\n services or trauma services pursuant to this subdivision, or any other person\n shall be privileged and shall not be disclosed or obtained by legal discovery\n proceedings, unless a circuit court, after a hearing and for good cause shown\n arising from extraordinary circumstances, orders disclosure of such data.\n\nC. The Board shall also develop and maintain as a component of the Statewide\nEmergency Medical Services Plan a statewide prehospital and interhospital Stroke\nTriage Plan designed to promote rapid access for stroke patients to appropriate,\norganized stroke care through the publication and regular updating of\ninformation on resources for stroke care and generally accepted criteria for\nstroke triage and appropriate transfer. The Stroke Triage Plan shall include:\n\n 1. A strategy for maintaining the statewide Stroke Triage Plan through\n development of regional stroke triage plans that take into account the\n region’s geographic variations and stroke care capabilities and\n resources, including hospitals designated as comprehensive stroke centers,\n primary stroke centers, primary stroke centers with supplementary levels of\n stroke care distinction, and acute stroke-ready hospitals through\n certification by the Joint Commission, DNV Healthcare, the American Heart\n Association, or a comparable process consistent with the recommendations of\n the Brain Attack Coalition, and inclusion of such regional plans in the\n statewide Stroke Triage Plan. The regional stroke triage plans shall be\n reviewed triennially.\n\n 2. A uniform set of proposed criteria for prehospital and interhospital triage\n and transport of stroke patients developed by the Advisory Board, in\n consultation with the American Stroke Association, the Virginia College of\n Emergency Physicians, the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, and\n prehospital care providers. The Board may revise such criteria from time to\n time to incorporate accepted changes in medical practice or to respond to\n needs indicated by analyses of data on patient outcomes. Such criteria shall\n be used as a guide and resource for health care providers and are not intended\n to establish, in and of themselves, standards of care or to abrogate the\n requirements of § 8.01-581.20. A decision by a health care provider to\n deviate from the criteria shall not constitute negligence per se.\n\nD. Whenever any state-owned aircraft, vehicle, or other form of conveyance is\nutilized under the provisions of this section, an appropriate amount not to\nexceed the actual costs of operation may be charged by the agency having\nadministrative control of such aircraft, vehicle, or other form of conveyance.\n\nHISTORY: 1996, c. 899; 1997, c. 321; 1998, c. 317; 1999, c. 1000; 2005, cc. 632,\n686; 2006, c. 412; 2007, c. 15; 2008, cc. 66, 567; 2009, cc. 222, 269; 2012, c.\n418; 2014, c. 320; 2015, cc. 502, 503; 2017, c. 609; 2018, cc. 103, 109.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}