Medical direction
Encyclopedia
Medical Direction, or Online Medical Direction, allows a Paramedic
or Emergency Medical Technician
(EMT) to contact a physician from the field via radio
or other means to obtain instructions on further care of a patient. This is used particularly when a patient is in need of care that is not allowed without medical direction under the caregiver's scope of practice
.
Example: A paramedic
may be treating a burn victim in the field, and has already given the maximum amount of narcotic
painkiller allowed without physician
s permission. The paramedic
will attempt to contact his or her base station hospital
and ask for further instructions, to provide the patient
with pain relief.
There are two different types of Medical Direction. Direct Medical Direction, often called On-Line Medical Direction, where care is rendered under direct orders of the Base Station Physician, usually over the radio or telephone. The other is Indirect Medical Direction, or Off-Line Medical Direction, which includes the development of a set of written instructions, known as Protocols. These can also be called Standing Orders.
Paramedic
A paramedic is a healthcare professional that works in emergency medical situations. Paramedics provide advanced levels of care for medical emergencies and trauma. The majority of paramedics are based in the field in ambulances, emergency response vehicles, or in specialist mobile units such as...
or Emergency Medical Technician
Emergency medical technician
Emergency Medical Technician or Ambulance Technician are terms used in some countries to denote a healthcare provider of emergency medical services...
(EMT) to contact a physician from the field via radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
or other means to obtain instructions on further care of a patient. This is used particularly when a patient is in need of care that is not allowed without medical direction under the caregiver's scope of practice
Scope of Practice
Scope of Practice is a terminology used by national and state/provincial licensing boards for various professions that defines the procedures, actions, and processes that are permitted for the licensed individual. The scope of practice is limited to that which the law allows for specific education...
.
Example: A paramedic
Paramedic
A paramedic is a healthcare professional that works in emergency medical situations. Paramedics provide advanced levels of care for medical emergencies and trauma. The majority of paramedics are based in the field in ambulances, emergency response vehicles, or in specialist mobile units such as...
may be treating a burn victim in the field, and has already given the maximum amount of narcotic
Narcotic
The term narcotic originally referred medically to any psychoactive compound with any sleep-inducing properties. In the United States of America it has since become associated with opioids, commonly morphine and heroin and their derivatives, such as hydrocodone. The term is, today, imprecisely...
painkiller allowed without physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
s permission. The paramedic
Paramedic
A paramedic is a healthcare professional that works in emergency medical situations. Paramedics provide advanced levels of care for medical emergencies and trauma. The majority of paramedics are based in the field in ambulances, emergency response vehicles, or in specialist mobile units such as...
will attempt to contact his or her base station hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
and ask for further instructions, to provide the patient
Patient
A patient is any recipient of healthcare services. The patient is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, veterinarian, or other health care provider....
with pain relief.
There are two different types of Medical Direction. Direct Medical Direction, often called On-Line Medical Direction, where care is rendered under direct orders of the Base Station Physician, usually over the radio or telephone. The other is Indirect Medical Direction, or Off-Line Medical Direction, which includes the development of a set of written instructions, known as Protocols. These can also be called Standing Orders.