Emergency medical services providers; triage and transportation of stroke victims to a stroke center

(1) By June 1 of each year, the department shall send the list of acute stroke ready centers, primary stroke centers, thrombectomy-capable stroke centers, and comprehensive stroke centers to the medical director of each licensed emergency medical services provider in the state. (2) The department shall develop a sample stroke-triage assessment tool. The department must post this sample assessment tool on its website and provide a copy of the assessment tool to each licensed emergency medical services provider. Each licensed emergency medical services provider must use a stroke-triage assessment tool that is substantially similar to the sample stroke-triage assessment tool provided by the department. (3) The medical director of each licensed emergency medical services provider shall develop and implement assessment, treatment, and transport-destination protocols for stroke patients with the intent to assess, treat, and transport stroke patients to the most appropriate hospital. Such protocols must consider the capability of an emergency receiving facility to improve outcomes for those patients suspected of having an emergent large vessel occlusion. (4) Each emergency medical services provider licensed under chapter 401 must comply with this section.