Frequently Asked Questions On Trauma Designation
What do I do if there is a question on the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Pre-Review Questionnaire (PRQ) or on the Hospital Resource Checklist (HRC) that do not apply to my facility?
Never leave any portion of the ACS PRQ or the HRC blank. Complete the entire form if the question is not applicable say so. Otherwise the reviewer has no option but to assume that the question was overlooked and will require a written answer prior to granting designation.
Can a facility have a non-Emergency boarded physician working in the Emergency Department at a Level IV trauma center?
Yes. However, the physician must be current in ATLS.
How does a Level IV/V facility decide what time period to use for the statistical data in Question IV.F.1?
This time period is very important to the application evaluator. If the date used is prior to the date when the Trauma Program is in place the data is useless for evaluating the hospital as a Trauma Center. This means data needs to be collected after policies and procedures are in place. The minimum time period for data collection that will be accepted is six (6) months.
How does a facility request a six month extension to Initial Provisional Trauma Center Designation?
When a facility needs to request a six month extension to Initial Provisional Trauma Center Designation there must be a letter from the CEO of the facility formally requesting an extension of the Initial Provisional Trauma Center Designation. The letter must be accompanied by a list of identified deficiencies from the consultation site visit and a time line that identifies how a six month extension will allow completion of the identified deficiencies. NOTE: The facility may identify registry issues as a reason for an extension but it must not be the only reason for requesting extension.