[Added 4-12-2023 by Ord.
No. 509-23]
The purpose of this section is to preserve and enhance the availability
of emergency medical services for legitimate medical emergency situations
in the Township by regulating the use of emergency medical services
in certain nonemergency situations.
[Added 4-12-2023 by Ord.
No. 509-23]
For the purposes of this section, certain words and terms are
defined as follows, unless the context clearly indicates the contrary:
MEDICAL EMERGENCY
An illness, injury, symptom or condition so serious that
a reasonable person would seek care right away to avoid serious harm.
PATIENT CARE FACILITIES
All state-licensed nursing homes, rest homes, health maintenance
organizations, assisted-living facilities, health care facilities
and residential substance use disorders treatment facilities providing
in-patient services, and other licensed or unlicensed medical care
providers with the capacity to treat 10 or more outpatients simultaneously.
[Added 4-12-2023 by Ord.
No. 509-23]
a. All patient care facilities located within the Township are required
to own, lease, rent or have promptly available by contract sufficient,
appropriately staffed private ambulance services for the treatment
and transport of patients in need of nonemergency medical care. Such
ambulance services shall be available 365 days per year and 24 hours
per day.
b. Each patient care facility subject to this section shall file proof of compliance with Subsection
a within 60 days of the effective date of this section and thereafter annually on or before January 1.
1. The required proof must consist of a written contract with no less
than two private ambulance service providers under which such providers
are obligated to respond promptly to the patient care facility.
2. Alternatively, if the patient care facility elects to own, operate,
and provide its own ambulance service, then the required proof must
consist of written documentation identifying the make, model, year,
color, serial number, license plate number, location, and staffing
of each ambulance.
3. The required proofs must be timely submitted to the Township Clerk
along with a certification signed by the resident director, manager,
or other authorized corporate officer of the patient care facility
affirming: a) that adequate private ambulance services are available;
and b) that all agents and employees of the facility have been apprised
of and trained in the use of such private ambulance services.
[Added 4-12-2023 by Ord.
No. 509-23]
a. The failure of a patient care facility to comply with the requirements of §
19-1.3a and
b constitutes a violation of this section. Both the patient care facility and its resident director, manager, or authorized corporate officer are liable for such violations, and shall be liable to the penalties stated in Chapter
1, §
1-5.
b. In the event that an employee or agent of a patient care facility
located in the Township takes actions resulting in the dispatch of
the Long Hill First Aid Squad and the responding Long Hill First Aid
Squad, in its sole discretion, determines that the dispatch did not
involve circumstances requiring the use of an advanced life support
or paramedic unit, the first aid squad shall provide the Township
written certification to that effect and the patient care facility
shall be subject to a dispatch fee of $750, payable to the Township.