MEDICAL CONTROL

Online medical control is the physician who can be contacted for direct orders in special situations where EMS providers have concerns about patient care. Depending on local protocol and guidelines, medical control can be located at the receiving facility or at a separate site.

When to Contact Medical Control:

• When a patient's condition is not improving or is deteriorating despite treatment
• When a patient requires medication or treatment outside the EMS provider's scope of practice
• When a patient requires a specific intervention or procedure not normally performed by the EMS provider's level of certification
• When there is uncertainty about the appropriate course of treatment
• When a patient's condition is complex or requires a specialized approach
• When additional guidance or advice from a physician is needed

Communication Protocol: When contacting medical control, EMS providers should have accurate, up-to-date patient information and provide a clear, concise report of the patient's condition. After receiving an order for medication or procedure, the EMS professional must repeat the order back word-for-word to ensure accuracy and avoid miscommunication errors.

Clarification and Safety: Orders that appear unclear or inappropriate should be questioned and clarified with medical control before proceeding. This prevents potentially dangerous situations and ensures patients receive correct treatment.

Scope of Practice Requirements: EMS professionals must never administer medications or perform procedures outside their scope of practice. If medical control orders something outside the provider's scope, the EMS professional must inform medical control of this limitation and request alternative orders. Providers who act outside their scope of practice and not with authority granted by medical control bear legal liability for their actions.