Emergency Medical Services supports project to streamline licensing and increase the number of paramedics.

By THE STAR STAFF

The commissioner of the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services, Abner Gómez Cortés, endorsed House Bill 999, which amends the Emergency Medical Examiner Board Act to harmonize it with national standards and thus increase the number of emergency medical technicians in Puerto Rico.

During a public hearing of the Health Committee, chaired by Representative Gabriel Rodríguez Aguiló, Gómez Cortés, a licensed paramedic, explained that the measure seeks to update professional regulations without compromising public safety. He noted that some current requirements make it difficult to enter the profession, such as the transportation license issued by the Bureau of Transportation and Other Public Services and additional certifications that are not part of national standards.

The official indicated that eliminating these barriers would streamline the training process and improve staff recruitment and retention without affecting service quality, as essential clinical competencies continue to be assessed through academic training, professional certification, and medical supervision. He noted that license renewal costs, ranging from $800 to $1,000, represent another obstacle, and that at least 100 paramedics are currently needed to meet demand, with a total estimated shortage of 300 professionals.

Gómez Cortés also supported replacing the practical exam with clinical competency assessments certified by medical directors and reducing the passing grade for the recertification exam from 80 to 70 percent. He further supported reinstating the paramedic technical course, allowing students in technical and vocational programs to take the recertification exam.

The president of the Puerto Rican Ambulance Association, Carlos Astacio, described the shortage of technicians as “critical” and recommended declaring an emergency amnesty for those who have completed accredited courses, allowing their immediate integration into the system.

The president of the Board Regulating Licensing and Disciplining Emergency Medical Technicians, Amaury Martínez, supported the measure with amendments, proposing that basic technicians only require the “Basic Life Support” certification and paramedics the “Advanced Cardiac Life Support” course, both endorsed by the American Heart Association. He also suggested maintaining the practical portion of the exam if the passing rate is reduced.

Bolívar Pagán, the academic director of the Center for Advanced Studies for Emergency Medical Personnel, argued that the future of the profession should be geared towards professionalization through associate degrees or bachelor’s degrees, as is the case in the United States, and proposed creating the Puerto Rico Emergency Medical Services Office with greater regulatory capacity.

Nurse and academic Marla Ortiz Dávila endorsed the measure, emphasizing the need to balance quality standards with access to the profession. Rodríguez Aguiló noted that the Health Commission will evaluate the recommendations, especially the reduction in the recertification percentage and the elimination of the transportation license requirement, to address the paramedic shortage and strengthen emergency response capacity on the island.