The following words and terms, when used in §§197.3 - 197.6 of this chapter shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.     
       (1) Advanced life support--Emergency prehospital care that involves invasive medical interventions including, but not limited to, the delivery or assisted delivery of medications, defibrillation, and advanced airway management. The provision of advanced life support shall be under the medical direction and/or supervision and control of a licensed physician.      
       (2) Basic life support--Emergency prehospital care that involves noninvasive medical interventions. The provision of basic life support may be under the medical direction and/or supervision and control of a licensed physician.      
       (3) Board--The Texas Medical Board.      
       (4) Delegated practice--Permission given by a physician licensed by the board, either in person or by treatment protocols or standing orders to a specific prehospital provider to provide medical care.      
       (5) Direct medical control--Immediate and concurrent clinical direction either on-scene or via electronic communication from a physician licensed by the board and designated by the EMS medical director. If an EMS system does not have an EMS Medical Director, then such designation should be by a physician advisor, or in his or her absence, the director of the EMS system.      
       (6) Emergency medical services personnel--Those individuals certified or licensed by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to provide emergency medical care.      
       (7) Emergency medical services provider--As defined under 25 TAC §157.2(30) (relating to Definitions), a provider that uses, operates or maintains EMS vehicles and EMS personnel to provide EMS.      
       (8) Emergency medical services system--All components needed to provide a continuum of prehospital medical care including, but not limited to, a medical director, transport vehicles, trained personnel, access and dispatch, communications, and receiving medical facilities.      
       (9) Intervenor physician--A physician licensed by the board, who, without having established a prior physician/patient relationship with the emergency patient, accepts responsibility for the prehospital care, and who shall provide proof of a current medical license when requested.      
       (10) Medical director--A physician licensed by the board who is responsible for all aspects of the operation of an EMS system concerning provision of medical care. This physician may also be referred to as the off-line medical director.      
       (11) Prehospital providers--All DSHS certified or licensed personnel providing medical care in an out-of-hospital environment.      
       (12) Protocols--Written instructions providing prehospital personnel with a standardized approach to commonly encountered problems in the out-of-hospital setting, typically in regard to patient care. Protocols may include standing orders to be implemented prior to, or in lieu of, establishing communication with direct medical control.      
       (13) Standing delegation orders--Instructions or orders provided by the EMS medical director to EMS personnel, directing them to perform certain medical care in the absence of any communication with direct medical control.      
     Source Note:        The provisions of this §197.2 adopted to be effective February 28, 1999, 24 TexReg 1157; amended to be effective January 9, 2003, 28 TexReg 73; amended to be effective September 20, 2007, 32 TexReg 6316; amended to be effective January 2, 2013, 37 TexReg 10213; amended to be effective April 3, 2016, 41 TexReg 2315