Medical Direction, or Online Medical Direction, allows a Paramedic to contact a physician from the field via radio or other means to obtain instructions on further care of a patient. This is used particularly when a patient is in need of care that is not allowed without medical direction under the caregiver's scope_of_practice .

Example: A paramedic may be treating a burn victim in the field, and has already given the maximum amount of narcotic painkiller allowed without physicians permission. The paramedic will attempt to contact his or her base station hospital and ask for further instructions, to provide the patient with pain relief.