Press Release 7/21/17

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senate Health Chairman Joseph F. Vitale and Senate President Steve Sweeney establishing a system to track and analyze EMS response to medical emergencies, including to residents suffering from an opioid overdose, was signed into law by the Governor.

“Emergency responders are the first point of contact for many residents when they are suffering a medical emergency, and the care provided on site and upon arrival to the hospital is vital. Data tracking will help to improve the system of care in our state, allowing us to analyze EMS response to emergencies but also to provide real-time data to hospitals so that medical personnel are better prepared when a patient arrives,” said Senator Vitale (D-Middlesex). “Additionally, as we work to address the opioid epidemic, this system can help to identify where overdoses are occurring, trends in the use of naloxone, and other information that can help improve our response and treatment of those suffering with addiction in our state.”

“EMS response is a critical part of our health care system – for so many residents, the care provided at the scene of an emergency can literally be the difference between life and death. Collecting and analyzing data, including response times to emergencies, is vital to evaluating how these systems are working but also to making any improvements necessary both in the short term and into the future,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester, Salem and Cumberland).

The law (S-5) establishes certain requirements for emergency medical services providers and dispatch centers to report to the state. Under the new law, each EMS provider that provides pre-hospital emergency medical care to patients in the state – including basic life support ambulance services, mobile intensive care units, air medical services and volunteer and non-volunteer first aid, rescue and ambulance squads – will be required to report to the Department of Health certain information concerning each incident in which the entity provides emergency medical services.

The report provided to DOH would be required to include information such as the date, time, and location of the encounter, the nature of the emergency, including the number of people involved, the outcome of the encounter, including whether each person was treated, refused additional treatment, was transported to a hospital or health care facility or another EMS provider, or if any person died. EMS dispatch centers would also be required to report certain information such as time, date and location of the request for services as well as the nature of the circumstances of the emergency, and the EMS provide dispatched.

The state Health Commissioner would be required to establish a system to allow for the electronic reporting of EMS dispatch and response information pursuant to the law.  The purpose of the electronic reporting system is to record and track data concerning the types of medical emergencies for which emergency medical services are requested, patterns in timing and location of requests for emergency services, patterns in the type of nature of emergency medical services provided and patterns in dispatch and response activity.

Additionally, the Commissioner of Health will be required to track and record response times for emergency medical services providers upon the effective date of the law and to make them available to the public through the department website. The commissioner, in consultation with the currently constituted Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council, will be required to adopt rules and regulations establishing quality performance metrics and pre-hospital protocols for emergency medical service providers which will be based on the data that was tracked under the law.

Finally, the law requires the commissioner to establish, maintain and coordinate the activities of the New Jersey Emergency Medical Services Task Force, which will support and enhance the provision of specialized response services, utilizing personnel and equipment to respond to pre-planned and emergency events, including natural disasters and other incidents.

The Senate and the Assembly approved the bill in June.