Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has signed legislation establishing minimum standards for ambulance services providing advanced critical care transportation. House Bill 5183 takes effect Jan. 1, 2011.

"When critically ill patients are being transported to receive the care they need, we must do everything possible to ensure they receive the highest quality of care," said Governor Quinn in a press release. "This new law will ensure that the staffs in advanced critical care ambulances are properly educated, trained and licensed."

According to the text of the law, the Illinois Department of Public Health will develop minimum standards for critical care transport providers, including personnel staffing and licensure; education, certification, and experience; medical equipment and supplies; vehicular standards; treatment and transport protocols; quality assurance and data collection. A vehicle service provider will be prohibited from advertising as a critical care transport provider unless it participates in an approved EMS System critical care transport plan.

The department will also license "reserve" ambulances, so that ambulance providers can replace out-of-service vehicles more quickly. Finally, the department is allowed to suspend, revoke or refuse to issue or renew the license of an emergency medical service professional who has been convicted (or entered a plea of guilty or nolo-contendere) of a felony in Illinois or out-of-state.

Adapted in part from Governor Quinn's press release, which can be accessed here.

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