50-6-302. Definitions. As used in this part, unless the context requires otherwise, the following definitions apply:

(1) "Aircraft" has the meaning provided in 67-1-101. The term includes any fixed-wing airplane or helicopter.

(2) (a) "Ambulance" means a privately or publicly owned motor vehicle or aircraft that is maintained and used for the transportation of patients.

(b) The term does not include:

(i) a motor vehicle or aircraft owned by or operated under the direct control of the United States; or

(ii) air transportation services, such as charter or fixed-based operators, that are regulated by the federal aviation administration and that offer no special medical services or provide only transportation to patients or persons at the direction or under the supervision of an independent physician.

(3) "Board" means the Montana state board of medical examiners provided for in 2-15-1731.

(4) "Community-integrated health care" means the provision of out-of-hospital medical services that an emergency care provider with an endorsement may provide as determined by board rule.

(5) "Department" means the department of public health and human services provided for in 2-15-2201.

(6) "Emergency medical service" means an out-of-hospital health care treatment service or interfacility emergency medical transportation provided by an ambulance or nontransporting medical unit that is licensed by the department to provide out-of-hospital health care treatment services or interfacility emergency medical transportation, including community-integrated health care.

(7) "Nonemergency ambulance transport" means the use of an ambulance to transport a patient between health care facilities, as defined in 50-5-101, including federal facilities, when the patient's medical condition requires special transportation considerations, supervision, or handling but does not indicate a need for medical treatment during transit or for emergency medical treatment upon arrival at the receiving health care facility.

(8) "Nontransporting medical unit" means an aggregate of persons who are organized to respond to a call for emergency medical service and to treat a patient until the arrival of an ambulance. Nontransporting medical units provide any one of varying types and levels of service defined by department rule but may not transport patients.

(9) "Offline medical direction" means the function of a board-licensed physician or physician assistant in providing:

(a) medical oversight and supervision for an emergency medical service or an emergency care provider; and

(b) review of patient care techniques, emergency medical service procedures, and quality of care.

(10) "Online medical direction" means the function of a board-licensed physician or physician assistant or the function of a designee of the physician or physician assistant in providing direction, advice, or orders to an emergency care provider for interfacility emergency medical transportation or out-of-hospital emergency medical or community-integrated health care as identified in a plan for offline medical direction.

(11) (a) "Patient" means an individual who is sick, injured, wounded, or otherwise incapacitated or helpless.

(b) Unless otherwise defined by rule for community-integrated health care, the term does not include an individual who is nonambulatory and who needs transportation assistance solely because that individual is confined to a wheelchair as the individual's usual means of mobility.

(12) "Person" means an individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company, group of individuals acting together for a common purpose, or organization of any kind, including a governmental agency other than the United States.

(13) "Volunteer emergency care provider" means an individual who is licensed pursuant to Title 50, chapter 6, part 2, and provides out-of-hospital, emergency medical, or community-integrated health care or interfacility emergency medical transportation:

(a) on the days and at the times of the day chosen by the individual; and

(b) for an emergency medical service other than:

(i) a private ambulance company, unless the care is provided without compensation and outside of the individual's regular work schedule; or

(ii) a private business or a public agency, as defined in 7-1-4121, that employs the individual on a regular basis with a regular, hourly wage to provide emergency medical or community-integrated health care as part of the individual's job duties.

History: En. Sec. 2, Ch. 387, L. 1971; amd. Sec. 11, Ch. 349, L. 1974; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 86, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 69-3605; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 387, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 304, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 100, Ch. 418, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 265, Ch. 546, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 150, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 354, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 22, Ch. 220, L. 2019.