Rice EMS provides Emergency Medical Services to the Rice University and surrounding communities. These services cover everything from caring for minor injuries or medical problems (situations that do not require advanced care or hospitalization) to providing life-saving care to critical patients until an ambulance arrives to transport the patient. Thanks to the Student Health Fee (included in tuition) and a fixed portion of proceeds from parking citations, all of Rice EMS' services are free. In addition, the Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) that make up the staff of Rice EMS are students (state of Texas certified, based on a nationally-standardized curriculum) who volunteer their time to help those in need of medical care.

Rice EMS is certified as an Advanced Life Support (ALS) service, meaning that our EMTs are authorized to provide a wide spectrum of emergency care, including non-invasive procedures (such as oxygen therapy, bleeding control, automated defibrillation, and assistance with basic medications) to advanced procedures (such as intubation, IV therapy, IO therapy, and advanced medication administration). All of these procedures are governed by a set of protocols and standing orders approved by our physician medical director, George Kiss, M.D. Dr. Kiss is also available for on-line medical direction (via phone and other electronic communication device) to authorize procedures outside of the published protocols and standing orders.

What We Don't Do

At this time, Rice EMS does not transport patients to hospitals; REMS can arrange an RUPD escort (for minor illnesses/injuries) or transport by Houston Fire Department ambulance (for more serious illnesses/injuries). While REMS offers its services and RUPD escorts free of charge, the department has no control over the costs incurred by Houston Fire Department transport. Therefore, those transported by ambulance should expect to be billed for that service (insurance should assist in the payment). In the event that you cannot pay the fee and your insurance does not cover ambulance transport, HFD has a no-interest payment plan available.

Rice EMS and RUPD

Rice EMS is considered by the University to be a subset of the Rice University Police Department. The EMS Director, Cathy Sunday, reports directly to RUPD chief Bill Taylor. However, this does not mean that a medical emergency will result in RUPD arriving on the scene. To better illustrate the role RUPD plays in an EMS event, we have provided several example scenarios. Here is the breakdown of a typical EMS call:

Someone calls 6000 and asks for EMS. The police/EMS/fire dispatcher will gather some basic information (the nature of the emergency, where the patient is, and who you are). Always remember that you should hang up last--never go off the line until the dispatcher does.

The dispatcher simultaneously sends out a request for EMS via alphanumeric pager and two-way radio. Generally, 2 duty crew EMTs and 1 EMS In-Charge will respond. RUPD may also be dispatched if one of the criteria below is present. Upon patient contact, if the In-Charge determines no additional personnel are needed, he/she may disregard other in-coming units. Additionally, the In-Charge may also request additional support.

The EMTs will assess the patient and treat any problems found. Any competent patient has the right to make his or her own medical decisions; this can include refusing treatment (after an assessment of the patient's competency has been performed). Any services rendered by REMS are free, including the cost of supplies used in the treatment.

In the event the patient needs to go to a hospital, there are three options available. For minor injuries (i.e. a twisted ankle or minor laceration) the patient can either be taken to the hospital by a friend with a car, or can be given a ride to the hospital by RUPD. This is a free service, and no police report is filed. More serious cases (or at the patient's request), however, will require an ambulance to transport the patient to the hospital. In this situation, the police dispatcher will contact the Houston Fire Department directly, and request that an ambulance be sent to the campus. Rice EMTs will continue to treat and package the patient while the ambulance is en route. Rice EMTs will transfer patient care upon the Houston Fire Department's arrival. You may see RUPD officers in the area; this is mainly because they are responsible for providing an escort for the Houston Fire Department to the location on campus.

The previous example describes the vast majority of medical emergencies that occur on campus. However, there are a very limited number of cases where RUPD may become involved in an EMS event. Here are the broad categories under which these cases fall:

Any critical emergency
In cases where the dispatcher receives a report of a life- or limb-threatening emergency (cardiac arrest, patient not breathing, major laceration, etc.), RUPD will often be dispatched alongside REMS to act as medical support staff. Due to their placement across campus, RUPD officers can often arrive at a scene before REMS. RUPD officers are acting as medical first-responders, for they have limited medical training and equipment. If they arrive before REMS, they may provide patient care and deliver critical updates to the in-coming personnel. In these situations, RUPD will not be searching to provide legal punishments for minor infractions, but instead will be providing critical care until REMS arrives.
Any threat of scene safety
An EMT's primary concern is his or her own safety. As a result, if there is any indication that a scene is unsafe RUPD will respond before EMS does; an unsafe scene may be the result of environmental hazards (fire, hazardous materials, etc.) or violence (aggressive individual, individual with a weapon, discharge of an explosive, etc.). RUPD will attempt to make the scene safe for EMS to enter. Rice EMS will request RUPD in the event that a patient or bystander desires to harm themselves (by state law), EMS personnel, or other bystanders. Furthermore, RUPD will respond in the event of a gross criminal act (assault, battery, shooting, etc.). Once RUPD has made location as a result of the previously mentioned reasons, individuals on scene may face University or legal sanctions. However, anything you tell an EMT is privileged information, and they cannot reveal it to anyone unless they are compelled to do so by a subpoena, it is for a medical reason (i.e. passing along information to other medical personnel who will be treating the patient), or for limited educational purposes (identifying information will not be revealed in this case). Anything that RUPD either observes or is told by either the patient or a bystander, however, is not confidential information.
Calls that originate with RUPD
This is any situation where someone already in custody requests medical attention, or the arresting officer feels that EMS is needed. If an officer observes a student stumbling along a sidewalk, takes the student into custody for public intoxication, and the student proceeds to show signs of a medical emergency, the officer will request REMS. Any information volunteered by the patient strictly to the EMTs (including number of drinks, the student's age, and whether any other substances such as illegal drugs were taken) will be kept strictly confidential. However, the original charge will still stand, and anything the officer observed, found during a search, or was told by the patient or bystanders can be used against the patient.

Apart from these situations, all EMS calls on Rice's campus remain as EMS events, without police involvement. And even if RUPD does become involved in an EMS event, it is important to remember that your health is paramount and your medical information remains confidential. The only conditions under which information told to EMTs is released is if it is necessary for your medical care (your information is given only to other medical personnel), if a crime is being committed (such as an assault or a homicide), if REMS is subpoenaed by a court, or if you authorize the release that information.

For a more detailed explanation of your privacy rights and situations where REMS is allowed or required to disclose your medical information, see the Texas Health and Safety Code, Title II, Chapter 181. You may also want to read our statement on alcohol-related emergencies.