What term is used for authorizations allowing treatment without physician contact in predefined situations?

• A. Treat-and-Release Protocols
• B. International Controls
• C. Standing Orders
• D. Base Physician Contact

Answer: (C)

Standing orders are preapproved medical directives that authorize EMS personnel to perform specific treatments for defined conditions without contacting a physician each time. They’re created by the medical director and outline the exact criteria and interventions that can be carried out on scene, within the providers’ scope of practice. This setup ensures timely, standardized care and reduces delays caused by waiting for real-time physician approval. For example, a standing order might allow a paramedic to administer a bronchodilator for an acute asthma attack when certain vital signs and symptoms are met. In contrast, basing care on physician contact would require calling for approval before each treatment, and treat-and-release protocols focus more on on-scene decisions about transport rather than preauthorized treatments. International controls isn’t a term used for authorizing EMS treatments in predefined situations.