As of September 1, 2007, a change has been effected in the Texas Health & Safety Code regarding transport of patients by stretcher:
SECTION 14. (a) Subsection (a), Section 773.004, Health
and Safety Code, is amended to read as follows:
(a) This chapter does not apply to:
(1) [a ground transfer vehicle and staff used to
transport a patient who is under a physician’s care between medical
facilities or between a medical facility and a private residence,
unless it is medically necessary to transport the patient using a
stretcher;
[(2)] air transfer that does not advertise as an
ambulance service and that is not licensed by the department;
(2) [] the use of ground or air transfer vehicles
to transport sick or injured persons in a casualty situation that
exceeds the basic vehicular capacity or capability of emergency
medical services providers in the area;
(3) [(4)] an industrial ambulance; or
(4) [(5)] a physician, registered nurse, or other
health care practitioner licensed by this state unless the health
care practitioner staffs an emergency medical services vehicle
regularly.
(b) Section 773.041, Health and Safety Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
(a-1) A person may not transport a patient by stretcher in a
vehicle unless the person holds a license as an emergency medical
services provider issued by the department in accordance with this
chapter. For purposes of this subsection, “person” means an
individual, corporation, organization, government, governmental
subdivision or agency, business, trust, partnership, association,
or any other legal entity.
(c) Not later than May 1, 2008, the executive commissioner
of the Health and Human Services Commission shall adopt the rules
necessary to implement the changes in law made by this section to
Chapter 773, Health and Safety Code.
As the Bill Analysis demonstrates, this does away with the exemption for transport between medical facilities or medical facility and home, and requires a license as an emergency medical services provider issued by the Department of State Health Services (DSHS). I’ll update this when the rules come out.