Article 2.5. Regional Trauma Systems of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 2.5. >> Chapter 6. >> Article 2.5.

Except where the context otherwise requires, the following definitions govern the construction of this article:
  (a) "Trauma case" means any injured person who has been evaluated by prehospital personnel according to policies and procedures established by the local EMS agency pursuant to Section 1798.163 and who has been found to require transportation to a trauma facility.
  (b) "Trauma facility" means a health facility, as defined by regulation, which is capable of treating one or more types of potentially seriously injured persons and which has been designated as part of the regional trauma care system by the local EMS agency. A facility may be a trauma facility for one or more services, as designated by the local EMS agency.
  (c) "Trauma care system" means an arrangement under which trauma cases are transported to, and treated by, the appropriate trauma facility.

(a) The authority shall submit draft regulations specifying minimum standards for the implementation of trauma care systems to the commission on or before July 1, 1984, and shall adopt the regulations on or before July 1, 1985. These regulations shall provide specific requirements for the care of trauma cases and shall ensure that the trauma care system is fully coordinated with all elements of the existing emergency medical services system. The regulations shall be adopted as provided in Section 1799.50, and shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
  (1) Prehospital care management guidelines for triage and transportation of trauma cases.
  (2) Flow patterns of trauma cases and geographic boundaries regarding trauma and nontrauma cases.
  (3) The number and type of trauma cases necessary to assure that trauma facilities will provide quality care to trauma cases referred to them.
  (4) The resources and equipment needed by trauma facilities to treat trauma cases.
  (5) The availability and qualifications of the health care personnel, including physicians and surgeons, treating trauma cases within a trauma facility.
  (6) Data collection regarding system operation and patient outcome.
  (7) Periodic performance evaluation of the trauma system and its components.
  (b) The authority may grant an exception to a portion of the regulations adopted pursuant to subdivision (a) upon substantiation of need by a local EMS agency that, as defined in the regulations, compliance with that requirement would not be in the best interests of the persons served within the affected local EMS area.

(a) A local emergency medical services agency may implement a trauma care system only if the system meets the minimum standards set forth in the regulations for implementation established by the authority and the plan required by Section 1797.257 has been submitted to, and approved by, the authority. Prior to submitting the plan for the trauma care system to the authority, a local emergency medical services agency shall hold a public hearing and shall give adequate notice of the public hearing to all hospitals and other interested parties in the area proposed to be included in the system. This subdivision does not preclude a local EMS agency from adopting trauma care system standards which are more stringent than those established by the regulations.
  (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a) or any other provision of this article, the Santa Clara County Emergency Medical Services Agency may implement a trauma care system prior to the adoption of regulations by the authority pursuant to Section 1798.161. If the Santa Clara County Emergency Medical Services Agency implements a trauma care system pursuant to this subdivision prior to the adoption of those regulations by the authority, the agency shall prepare and submit to the authority a trauma care system plan which conforms to any regulations subsequently adopted by the authority.

A local emergency medical services agency implementing a trauma care system shall establish policies and procedures which are concordant and consistent with the minimum standards set forth in the regulations adopted by the authority. This section does not preclude a local EMS agency from adopting trauma care system standards which are more stringent than those established by the regulations.

(a) A local emergency medical services agency may charge a fee to an applicant seeking initial or continuing designation as a trauma facility in an amount sufficient to cover the costs directly related to the designation of trauma facilities pursuant to Section 1798.165 and to the development of the plans prepared pursuant to Sections 1797.257 and 1797.258, and subdivision (b) of Section 1798.162.
  (b) Each local emergency medical services agency charging fees pursuant to subdivision (a) shall annually provide a report to the authority and to each trauma facility having paid a fee to the agency. The report shall contain sufficient detail to apprise facilities of the specific application of fees collected and to assure the authority that fees collected were expended in compliance with subdivision (a).
  (c) The authority may establish a prescribed format for the report required in subdivision (b).

(a) Local emergency medical services agencies may designate trauma facilities as part of their trauma care system pursuant to the regulations promulgated by the authority.
  (b) The health facility shall only be designated to provide the level of trauma care and service for which it is qualified and which is included within the system implemented by the agency.
  (c) No health care provider shall use the terms "trauma facility," "trauma hospital," "trauma center," "trauma care provider," "trauma vehicle," or similar terminology in its signs or advertisements, or in printed materials and information it furnishes to the general public, unless the use is authorized by the local EMS agency.

A local emergency medical services agency which elects to implement a trauma care system on or after January 1, 1984, shall develop and submit a plan to the authority according to the regulations established prior to the implementation.

Nothing in this article shall be construed to restrict the authority of a health care facility to provide a service for which it has received a license pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1250) of Division 2.

Nothing in this article shall be construed as changing the boundaries of any local emergency medical services agency in existence on January 1, 1984.

Nothing in this article shall be construed as restricting the use of a helicopter of the Department of the California Highway Patrol from performing missions which the department determines are in the best interests of the people of the State of California.