Opinion No. (2003)

BILL LOCKYER Attorney General THOMAS S. LAZAR Deputy Attorney General THE HONORABLE LLOYD W. PELLMAN, COUNTY COUNSEL, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, has requested an opinion on the following question: Are emergency medical dispatch services subject to the review and approval of the local emergency medical services agency even when the services are developed, implemented, and operated in accordance with state guidelines? CONCLUSION Emergency medical dispatch services are subject to the review and approval of the local emergency medical services agency even when the services are developed, implemented, and operated in accordance with state guidelines. ANALYSIS In 1980, the Legislature enacted a comprehensive statutory scheme, the Emergency Medical Services System and the Prehospital Emergency Medical Care Personnel Act (Health Saf. Code, §§ 1797 - 1799.201 ; "Act"), 1 to govern the provision of emergency medical services ("EMS") to individuals prior to their admission to a hospital. ( County of San Bernardino v. City of San Bernardino (1997) 15 Cal.4th 909 , 914-916 ; 81 Ops.Cal.Atty.Gen. 349 , 350 (1998); 80 Ops.Cal.Atty.Gen. 283 (1997).) The Act created the Emergency Medical…