What term describes physician instructions given directly by radio or cell phone (online/direct) or indirectly by protocol/guidelines (offline/indirect), authorized by the medical director?

• A. Medical control
• B. Medical director
• C. BSIP
• D. Acute stress reaction

Answer: (A)

Medical control is the system that covers physician instructions given to EMS providers, whether in real time by radio or phone (online/direct) or through pre-approved protocols and guidelines (offline/indirect) that the medical director has authorized. Online medical control means a physician is on the line guiding the decision in the moment, while offline medical control refers to standing orders and protocols that allow providers to act without live consultation. This matches the description of instructions authorized by the medical director and delivered in either direct or indirect form. The other terms don’t fit: acute stress reaction is a psychological response, and BSIP isn’t a standard EMS term for physician-directed instruction, while the medical director is the person who authorizes the protocols rather than the instruction itself.