SF 2480 creates criteria and a process for the designation of STEMI receiving centers, which are hospitals that have an accreditation for the care of heart attack patients.  SF 2480 also makes technical changes to CEMT education provisions as well as to audit timelines for regional emergency medical service boards.

Section 1 [144.4941 – STEMI receiving centers]

Subdivision 1 (Criteria for STEMI receiving center designation) specifies that a hospital that has a STEMI accreditation from a nationally recognized accrediting entity may apply to the commissioner for designation as a STEMI receiving center.

Subdivision 2 (Designation of STEMI receiving centers) authorizes the commissioner to designate qualifying hospitals as STEMI receiving centers and requires the commissioner to immediately withdraw a STEMI designation if a designated hospital loses its accreditation.

Subdivision 3 (Coordination among hospitals) encourages STEMI receiving centers and STEMI referring hospitals to coordinate with one another to ensure adequate care throughout the state for heart attack patients.

Section 2 (144E.16, subdivision 8 – STEMI transport protocols) requires regional and local medical service programs to develop transportation protocols for heart attack patients to optimize the care these patients receive.

Section 3 (144E.275, subdivision 7 – Community medical response emergency medical technicians) makes technical changes to the education requirements for CEMTs.

Section 4 (144E.50, subdivision 6 – Audits (of regional emergency medical service boards)) makes technical changes to the audit timelines for regional medical service boards by eliminating the deadline for the completion of audits, and relying instead on the current deadline for filing audits with the Emergency Medical Services Regulatory Board, the Legislative Auditor, and the State Auditor.