Definition of Level of Service

Question 1

Basic Life Support

Answer 1

Basic life support (BLS) is transportation by ground ambulance vehicle and the provision of medically necessary supplies and services, including BLS ambulance services as defined by the state.

Question 2

Basic Life Support (BLS)

Answer 2

The ambulance vehicle must be staffed by at least two people who meet the requirements of the state and local laws where the services are being furnished, and at least one of the staff members must be certified at a minimum as an emergency medical technician-basic (EMT-Basic) by the state or local authority where the services are being furnished and be legally authorized to operate all lifesaving and life-sustaining equipment on board the vehicle.

These laws may vary from state to state or within a state. For example, only in some jurisdictions is an EMT-Basic permitted to operate limited equipment onboard the vehicle, assist more qualified personnel in performing assessments and interventions, and establish a peripheral intravenous (IV) line.

Question 3

Basic Life Support (BLS) Emergency

Answer 3

Definition: When medically necessary, the provision of BLS services, in the context of an emergency response.

Question 4

Basic Life Support (BLS) Emergency

Answer 4

Emergency response is a BLS or ALS1 level of service that has been provided in immediate response to a 911 call or the equivalent. An immediate response is one in which the ambulance provider/supplier begins as quickly as possible to take the steps necessary to respond to the call.

Question 5

Advanced Life Support, Level 1

Answer 5

Advanced life support, level 1 (ALS1) is the transportation by ground ambulance vehicle and the provision of medically necessary supplies and services including the provision of an ALS assessment by ALS personnel or at least one ALS intervention.

Question 6

Advanced Life Support, Level 1 (ALS1)

Answer 6

An advanced life support (ALS) assessment is an assessment performed by an ALS crew as part of an emergency response that was necessary because the patient’s reported condition at the time of dispatch was such that only an ALS crew was qualified to perform the assessment. An ALS assessment does not necessarily result in a determination that the patient requires an ALS level of service. In the case of an appropriately dispatched ALS Emergency service, if the ALS crew completes an ALS Assessment, the services provided by the ambulance transportation service provider or supplier shall be covered at the ALS emergency level, regardless of whether the patient required ALS intervention services during the transport, provided that ambulance transportation itself was medically reasonable and necessary, and all other coverage requirements are met.
An advanced life support (ALS) intervention is a procedure that is in accordance with state and local laws, required to be done by an emergency medical technician-intermediate (EMT-Intermediate) or EMT-Paramedic.