House Bill 2431 prohibits Arizona's EMTs from diagnosing patients out in the field and persuading them into not going to a hospital.

June 7, 2022

https://www.12news.com/video/news/politics/arizona-bill-would-prohibit-emts-from-diagnosing-patients/75-9ec3cb3c-8459-4c72-86df-c47a36018693

Gov. Doug Ducey has signed legislation that prohibits emergency medical technicians from diagnosing patients or discouraging them from seeking transport to a hospital. 

House Bill 2431 sets new parameters for what Arizona's EMTs can or cannot recommend to patients they're treating out in the field. 

The new law prohibits EMTs from giving a presumptive medical diagnosis and using that diagnosis as justification to not transport the patient to a hospital. 

State Rep. Amish Shah, a medical doctor representing District 24, introduced the legislation after coming across research suggesting Phoenix had a high rate of "non-transports" compared to other jurisdictions.

“We have reviewed a lot of different cases that have come through, not only Phoenix. What we’ve seen in these cases is a pattern of counseling people out. And that doesn’t fit in best practice,” Shah told 12 News earlier this year.

The law further clarifies that EMTs can still inform a patient about their right to accept or decline transportation to a hospital.

Phoenix fire previously told 12 News that its paramedics and EMTs were already following the state's protocols. 

HB 2431 passed through the Arizona House of Representatives in a final vote of 34-17 before it was signed by the governor this week.

Eight state representatives declined to make a final vote on the bill.