Definition of Terms

  • Advanced Life Support (ALS) 1 - Services should be medical treatment or procedures provided to the patient beyond the scope of an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Basic as defined by the National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Education and Practice Blueprint.
  • ALS 2 - Services should be defined as Advanced Life Support services provided to a patient including any of the following procedures: 
    • Administration of three or more medications
    • Cardiac pacing
    • Central venous line
    • Chest decompression
    • Endotracheal intubation
    • Manual defibrillation
    • Surgical airway or interosseous line
  • Basic Life Support (BLS- Services should be medical treatment or procedures to a patient as defined by the National Emergency Medical Services Education and Practice Blueprint for the Emergency Medical Technician Basic. 
  • Compassionate Billing - Billing and collection processes should include the ability to identify patients who are unable to pay for services and provide a mechanism to discount or write-off the charge for the services provided. Therefore, public policy should dictate compassionate practices in order to avoid undue hardship on the residents of Spotsylvania County. View our Compassionate Billing Policy (PDF) for more information on compassionate billing.
  • Explanation of Benefits (EOB- This form is provided to the insured persons by insurance companies, explains the claims processed by the insurance company for benefits provided to the insured. 
  • Fair Billing - If a locality/agency decides to bill for EMS services, everyone receiving service must receive a bill/statement, whether they have insurance or not.
  • Office of Inspector General (OIG- There have been a number of recent opinions issued by the OIG that allow local governments to accept the local taxes paid to count as the co-pay for county residents. This would eliminate any out-of-pocket cost for county residents who pay taxes.
  • Point to Point - This is one type of method to measure mileage for EMS transports. Mileage will be recorded from the location where the transport begins to the nearest appropriate medical facility.
  • Transport - Transport of a patient from the location of the incident scene or center point of transport where an incident scene or address is located, to a hospital or other facility where the patient is transported.
  • Zone - This is another type of method to measure mileage for EMS transports. Mileage will be based upon the distance measured from the individual zones where transport begins to the nearest appropriate medical facility.