Section 290. Emergency services

A. An abortion facility shall provide ongoing urgent or emergent care and maintain on the premises adequate monitoring equipment, suction apparatus, oxygen, and related items for resuscitation and control of hemorrhage and other complications.

B. An abortion facility that performs abortions using intravenous sedation shall provide equipment and services to render emergency resuscitative and life-support procedures pending transfer of the patient to a hospital. Such medical equipment and services shall be consistent with the current edition of the American Heart Association's Guidelines for Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support.

C. A written agreement shall be executed with a licensed general hospital to ensure that any patient of the abortion facility shall receive needed emergency treatment. The agreement shall be with a licensed general hospital capable of providing full surgical, anesthesia, clinical laboratory, and diagnostic radiology service on 30 minutes notice and which has a physician in the hospital and available for emergency service at all times. When emergency transfer is necessary, the responsible physician at the abortion facility must provide direct communication to the emergency department staff regarding the status of the patient, the procedure details, and the suspected complication. All patients must be provided with contact information for a representative of the abortion facility, so that an emergency department physician or treating provider may make contact with a provider of the facility if late complications arise.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 29, Issue 19, eff. June 20, 2013.

Statutory Authority

§§ 32.1-12 and 32.1-127 of the Code of Virginia.