The Legislature of Córdoba approved law 10,970 that regulates the exercise of the professional activity of technicians in pre-hospital medical emergencies and protects the exercise of said profession in addition to setting the objective of benefiting the health system in general.
The new regulations will allow the creation of a registry of registrants under the control of the Ministry of Health, and will provide suitable professionals who are active with the opportunity to enter the regulatory framework with a one-time exam.
In addition, it provides for a disciplinary regime, while explaining the qualifying requirements of the activity, titles and certificates, and responsibilities of the companies that hire these professionals.
After the sanction, the Executive Branch has 180 days to regulate it. This text will be key to the effective implementation of the law.
The project, now law, was initially presented in 2022 by legislators Nadia Fernández and Carlos Mariano Lorenzo, and by incumbent legislators Diego Hak and María Elisa Caffaratti.
It provides a legal and institutional framework that will give the possibility of enrolling current and future technicians, under the orbit and control of the Ministry of Health.
“This law is not simply a legal document but is a commitment to the security and well-being of all Cordobans,” said legislator Nadia Fernández.
At the same time, he stated that by regulating the activity of technicians in out-of-hospital emergencies, “we are ensuring that each intervention is carried out by properly trained professionals and under rigorous quality standards.”
This guarantees – he highlighted – that each patient in a critical situation receives the immediate and expert attention they deserve, “reducing response time and increasing the chances of saving lives.”
In that sense, Fernández highlighted: “It is another step in quality, professionalism and safety in pre-hospital care and recognition for health teams. It also provides guarantees in a right as basic and fundamental as health. And to quality care and excellence.”
Enrollment registration
One of the outstanding points of the standard is the creation of a mandatory registration registry, both for those who are already working and for future professionals, which will enable emergency companies to have qualified human resources and provide a security framework.
The registry is for those who provide the first medical care in emergency situations and in transferring patients to healthcare institutions, usually known as paramedics, who carry out their activity in the province of Córdoba.
In this way, the regulations establish activities specific to paramedics for rescue maneuvers, first aid and the safe transfer of people affected by accidents or disasters, among others.
Also, it ensures technical quality by establishing strict requirements for professional practice, including the possession of qualifying titles issued by university and tertiary institutions that guarantee solid and updated academic training.
Córdoba has 500 paramedics
Julio Godoy, a teacher of the Out-of-Hospital Emergencies technical degree, said that in the province of Córdoba there are 500 paramedics. But he admitted that outside of that registry “there may be more” people working as such.
The degree has two offers, both with three years of study: in the private part it is taught by the Universidad Siglo 21, and in the public part, it is taught by two tertiary institutes based in Villa María and Villa Dolores.
In addition, Godoy clarified that there are also emergency courses that are carried out informally, but the graduates are not paramedics.
Until now there was no law that protected the practice of professionals. “For those who are inside an ambulance, technicians who endorse their profession, there is nothing that regulates their actions and with these regulations it will be possible for this professional practice to have protection,” he indicated.
The professional announced that the National Institute of Technical Education (Inet) made an agreement with the Ministries of Education of several provinces to promote the career and the schools that depend on the Institute will provide this type of training.
“This is very good for the profession since human resources are scarce, especially young people,” he remarked.
Godoy considered that the law is relevant for health professionals because they can carry out their activity without problems. In any case, he pointed out that we have to wait for the regulations.
“This rule does not exclude anyone. Once it is regulated, those who are working must take a leveling exam and will be registered as health professionals,” he explained.
