DAL 13-02: American College of Surgeon's Committee on Trauma (ACS-COT) Standards and Verification Process for the State's Trauma Dystem

March 11, 2013

DAL 13-02

Dear Administrator:

As you are aware, the New York State Department of Health (Department) adopted the American College of Surgeon's Committee on Trauma (ACS-COT) standards and verification process for the State's trauma system in March of 2012. Based on subsequent recommendations from the State Trauma Advisory Committee (STAC), an implemented timeline was established. This timeline required centers currently designated in the State as either Regional or Area Trauma Centers to request a consultative visit (if considering this as a first step) by May 10, 2013 and request a verification visit two (2) years from receipt of the consultative visit report. You were advised in September that those centers that did not request a consultative or verification visit within these time frames would be de-designated and would no longer be considered as New York State trauma centers.

You have also been advised that if your hospital is a current participant in the State trauma system, you should not be precluded from continued participation in the trauma system based on an inability to meet ACS-COT standards that would result in a change to your current designation, as the Department's goal is to strengthen and broaden participation in the system.

As of this date, we have not received confirmation from the ACS-COT that you have contacted them. You have sixty days in which to do so. This does not mean you have to have your visit completed or scheduled, only that you have contacted the College to request a date for the visit. If you are concerned that your institution will not be verified at your current level of designation during this first round of verifications, consideration should be given to applying for the level of designation your institution can meet at the current time, with the goal of achieving a higher designation in the future.

Should you choose not to contact the ACS-COT by May 10, 2013, the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers in your region and the nearest trauma center will be advised, so that trauma patients will be re-directed appropriately.

If you have determined that your facility is not interested in pursuing designation, please contact Linda Tripoli, Trauma Program Manager, Bureau of Emergency Medical Services, at (518) 402-0996, Ext. 2, so that the EMS providers in your region can prepare for transporting the affected patients, and the closest trauma center can plan for the increased volume of patients.

If you are planning to move ahead with pursuing designation, please contact Linda Tripoli with your plan for achieving this.

Sincerely,

Nirav R. Shah, M.D., M.P.H.
Commissioner of Health