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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>74269</law_id><section_number>32.1-111.1</section_number><catch_line>Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>18.2-151.1</reference><reference>18.2-251.03</reference><reference>18.2-461.1</reference><reference>18.2-488.1</reference><reference>18.2-51.1</reference><reference>2.2-1122</reference><reference>2.2-3705.5</reference><reference>3.2-6504.1</reference><reference>32.1-111.16</reference><reference>32.1-111.9</reference><reference>33.2-613</reference><reference>38.2-2201</reference><reference>38.2-2202</reference><reference>46.2-2000.1</reference><reference>46.2-649.1:1</reference><reference>51.1-1206</reference><reference>51.1-1208</reference><reference>51.1-153</reference><reference>51.1-155</reference><reference>51.1-169</reference><reference>54.1-2969</reference><reference>54.1-2987.1</reference><reference>54.1-3408</reference><reference>58.1-3506</reference><reference>59.1-444.4</reference><reference>65.2-101</reference><reference>65.2-402</reference><reference>8.01-225</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="32.1">Health</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="4">Health Care Planning</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="2.1">Statewide Emergency Medical Services System and Services</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>As used in this article:
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Advisory Board</span>&#x201D; means the State <span class="dictionary">Emergency Medical Services</span> <span class="dictionary">Advisory Board</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Automated external defibrillator</span>&#x201D; means a medical device which combines a heart monitor and defibrillator and (i) has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration, (ii) is capable of recognizing the presence or absence of ventricular fibrillation or rapid ventricular tachycardia, (iii) is capable of determining, without intervention by an operator, whether defibrillation should be performed, and (iv) automatically charges and requests delivery of an electrical impulse to an individual&#x2019;s heart, upon determining that defibrillation should be performed.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Emergency medical services</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;EMS&#x201D; means health care, public health, and public safety services used in the medical response to the real or perceived need for immediate medical assessment, care, or transportation and preventive care or transportation in <span class="dictionary">order</span> to prevent loss of life or aggravation of physiological or psychological illness or injury.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">Emergency medical services</span> agency</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">EMS agency</span>&#x201D; means any <span class="dictionary">person</span> engaged in the business, service, or regular activity, whether for profit or not, of rendering immediate medical care and providing transportation to <span class="dictionary">persons</span> who are sick, injured, wounded, or otherwise incapacitated or helpless and that holds a valid license as an <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">emergency medical services</span> agency</span> issued by the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> in accordance with &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Emergency medical services agency license; emergency medical services vehicle permits" href="/32.1-111.6/">32.1-111.6</a>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">Emergency medical services</span> personnel</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">EMS personnel</span>&#x201D; means individuals who are employed by or members of an <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">emergency medical services</span> agency</span> and who provide <span class="dictionary">emergency medical services</span> pursuant to an <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">emergency medical services</span> agency</span> license issued to that agency by the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> and in accordance with the authorization of that agency&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">operational medical director</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">Emergency medical services</span> physician</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">EMS physician</span>&#x201D; means a physician who holds a current endorsement from the <span class="dictionary">Office of <span class="dictionary">Emergency Medical Services</span></span> (EMS) and may serve as an <span class="dictionary">EMS agency</span> <span class="dictionary">operational medical director</span> or training program physician course director.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">Emergency medical services</span> provider</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">EMS provider</span>&#x201D; means any <span class="dictionary">person</span> who holds a valid certificate as an <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">emergency medical services</span> provider</span> issued by the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">Emergency medical services</span> system</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">EMS system</span>&#x201D; means the system of <span class="dictionary">emergency medical services</span> agencies, vehicles, equipment, and personnel; health care facilities; other health care and emergency services providers; and other components engaged in the planning, coordination, and delivery of <span class="dictionary">emergency medical services</span> in the Commonwealth, including individuals and facilities providing communication and other services necessary to facilitate the delivery of <span class="dictionary">emergency medical services</span> in the Commonwealth.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">Emergency medical services</span> vehicle</span>&#x201D; means any vehicle, vessel, or aircraft that holds a valid <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">emergency medical services</span> vehicle</span> permit issued by the <span class="dictionary">Office of <span class="dictionary">Emergency Medical Services</span></span> that is equipped, maintained, or operated to provide emergency medical care or transportation of patients who are sick, injured, wounded, or otherwise incapacitated or helpless.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Office of <span class="dictionary">Emergency Medical Services</span></span>&#x201D; means the <span class="dictionary">Office of <span class="dictionary">Emergency Medical Services</span></span> of the <span class="dictionary">Department</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Operational medical director</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">OMD</span>&#x201D; means an <span class="dictionary">EMS physician</span>, currently licensed to practice medicine or osteopathic medicine in the Commonwealth, who is formally recognized and responsible for providing medical direction, oversight, and quality improvement to an <span class="dictionary">EMS agency</span>.</p></section></text><history>1996, c. 899; 1999, c. 1000; 2000, c. 939; 2008, c. 118; 2015, cc. 502, 503.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
