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Private ambulance firm welcomes regulation of industry
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Posted on Sep 03 2011
By Haidee V. Eugenio
Reporter
Reporter
The first and so far only private ambulance company in the CNMI is supporting regulation of the industry, as proposed in Sen. Jovita Taimanao’s (Ind-Rota) Senate Bill 17-76 or the Commonwealth Emergency Medical Services Commission Act of 2011.
At present, the CNMI does not have any law regulating private ambulance companies, as well as the local Emergency Medical Service for that matter.
Joseph C. Santos, owner and president of Saint Michael’s Medical Response, said passing the bill will provide a uniform set of standards that will guarantee that both private and public ambulance services are fully compliant with government and industry standards, especially in terms of scope of practice required of any ambulance service system.
“With strict compliance with both standards, the CNMI community is ensured the best ambulance service system, as is common throughout the United States. Additionally, the creation of an EMS Commission will elevate the structure of the CNMI-wide EMS system similar to that of a large majority of communities and metropolitan areas in the mainland United States,” Santos said in a letter to Sen. Ralph Torres, chair of the Senate Health Committee.
Torres’ committee is now reviewing SB 17-76.
The bill seeks to create a CNMI Emergency Medical Services Commission composed of five members appointed by the governor.
Santos said that, while it may seem surprising and perhaps odd to many, as the owner and operator of the only private ambulance in the CNMI, he welcomes such regulation.
“However, I can only support regulation in the form of a commission, on the strengths of its non-biased nature and impartiality,” Santos added.
He said regulations protect the legitimacy of his company and more importantly, protect the community from less scrupulous entities from providing substandard care.
