Oregon may fund emergency services and set statewide EMS rules

The Oregon Health Authority may create emergency medical services workforce, training, or innovation programs and may provide funding to local governments, health care providers, and EMS agencies. Potential funding recipients are local governments, health care providers, and emergency medical services agencies. The authority is not required to create the programs. The authority may establish funding programs with advice from the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board. The fund may receive state appropriations, federal funds related to rural health and emergency medical services, and settlements or donations. These provisions take effect January 1, 2027; the authority may prepare beforehand.

A long-term and senior care emergency medical services subcommittee advises the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Committee. Its work covers emergency medical services for long-term and senior care patients. The subcommittee advises on emergency care for long-term and senior care patients, including care in residential facilities with a memory care endorsement. The provisions describing the subcommittee and its work take effect January 1, 2027.

Oregon’s health authority sets minimum education requirements for EMS provider licenses through rules, and ambulance services report patient encounter data to the state EMS data system. These provisions apply to ambulance services and people seeking EMS provider licenses in Oregon. The rules specify what encounter data ambulance services report, how often and in what form, and how the data system is administered. The education requirements cover emergency and nonemergency care. These provisions take effect January 1, 2027.