Sec.19a-177-3. Application by hospitals for trauma facility designation

(a) By October 1, 1995, all hospitals required to maintain an emergency service pursuant to Section 19-13-D3 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies shall participate in the statewide trauma system as set forth in Sections 19a-177-1 through 19a-177-9 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies by:

(1) giving triage medical direction in accordance with Section 19a-177-5 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies;

(2) transferring patients in accordance with the requirements in Section 19a-177-6 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies;

(3) participating in a quality assurance/improvement plan with the trauma registry in accordance with the requirements in Section 19a-177-6 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies; and

(4) submitting data to the trauma registry in accordance with Section 19a-177-7 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.

(b) Hospitals seeking designation as Level I, Level II, Level III, or Level IV trauma facilities shall apply to the OEMS for designation on forms supplied or approved by the OEMS.

(c) Within thirty (30) days of receipt of an application, the OEMS shall review the application for designation as a trauma facility for completeness and notify the hospital of the result of that review.

(1) If the application is deemed complete, the hospital shall be so notified in writing.

(2) If the application is deemed incomplete, the hospital shall be notified in writing of omissions or errors. The hospital may refile the application when complete, as a new application.

(d) Upon being notified by the OEMS of a complete application, the hospital shall, if not currently verified by the American College of Surgeons, Committee on Trauma, have ninety (90) days to initiate the verification process as outlined in Section 19a-177-4 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies or the application shall be considered withdrawn. Should the verification report not be received by the OEMS within one hundred and eighty (180) days of such notification, an extension of not more than ninety (90) days may be granted by the OEMS upon the request in writing of the hospital. Only one (1) ninety (90) day extension shall be granted by the OEMS.

(e) The hospital shall forward to the OEMS a notarized copy of the verification report or notify the OEMS in writing of its wish to withdraw the application. The verification report shall be considered as an attachment to and part of the application of the hospital for designation as a trauma facility.

(f) Upon receipt of the verification report, the OEMS shall have ninety (90) days to consider the application of the hospital for designation as a trauma facility at the level requested. In addition to the verification report, the OEMS shall consider the facility's compliance with all other applicable DPHAS statutes and regulations.

(g) The OEMS shall notify the applicant hospital and the department in writing of its decision.

(h) Designation by the OEMS shall expire on the same date as the verification expiration date established by the American College of Surgeons in their verification report.

(i) Redesignation at the same level is contingent upon reverification by the American College of Surgeons, Committee on Trauma and reapplication to the OEMS. It is the hospital's responsibility to seek timely reverification.

(j) Once designated, a trauma facility may apply to the OEMS to surrender the designation at any time without giving cause by notifying the OEMS in writing with a plan for alternative patient care and giving a minimum of sixty (60) days notice. Surrender shall take effect only when approved by the OEMS. In such a case, the application and verification process shall be completed again before any designation may be reinstated.

(Adopted effective March 22, 1995; Amended September 6, 2005)