August 24, 2006

Welcome & Overview

Meeting called to order at 1:05 PM by Jan Victorson, Chair.  The meeting was held at Cable Community Centre, Cable, WI.  Jan welcomed the group. She reviewed the past meeting and addressed today’s agenda.

Introductions

All of the participants introduced themselves.

Approval of Minutes

Meeting minutes from 6/22/06 were reviewed.  Motion made by Brian Cody and seconded by Brad Keseluk to approve the minutes with correction made to Communications Interoperability to state Project 25 standards required by 2013.  Motion carried. 

Treasurer Report

Quarterly report for April - June 2006:

Fund # 2008 (2005) initial amount $37,500. Closed out March 2006.

Fund # 2010 (2006) initial amount $41,670. Balance = $ 14,477.26. (Future disbursements will total $8,331.00.)  Balance Sheets and Expenditure Reports passed around for membership to review.  Motion made by Terri Kramolis and seconded by Brian Cody to approve Treasurer Report.  Motion carried.

Executive Council Nominations / Ballots / Elections

Executive Council Nominee Profiles were handed out to those present.  Call for additional nominees from the floor.  Total of 5 nominees.  There are two positions available.  Ballots tallied by Dan Diamon.  New Executive Council members are Lisa Anderson and Brian Cody.  Ballots will be kept on file.

Website Update

Sarah and Tom Waby are now managing the LSRTAC website.  Comments have been positive.  Sarah requests pictures and events that can be posted.  Send anything by email to Merrilee at mcarlson@ashlandmmc.com and she will forward items to Sarah for posting on the website.  Also feel free to give suggestions and/or comments via Merrilee.

State Update

Refer to STAC Minutes from 8/2/06 (separate attachment).  Highlights are:

¨      Cecile D'Huyvetter presented the final version document for the "Pre-Site Review Questionnaire" along with the Level III and Level IV assessment tool forms.  These documents will help a Trauma care Facility prepare for their Formal Site Review by a state designated team.  The Pre-Review Questionnaire will be mailed out to TCFs three months prior to their review.  The other assessment tools and related forms can be accessed on the State Trauma Website at http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/ems  then click on State Trauma Care System and then go down the page until the third bulleted item - Wisconsin Hospital Trauma Care Facility Classification/Designation Process.  You will see a full listing of documents.

¨      Two workshops will be offered to TCFs for Site Review preparation.  Dates to be announced.

¨      Two workshops will be offered for trauma registry education.  Dates to be announced.

¨      Legal questions and issues were addressed by Eric Wendorff, JD, from the DHFS Legal Dept.  The largest part of the meeting was spent discussing this.  Many questions were complex and needed more research and clarification.  Eric will attend subcommittee meetings and continue to work on legal issues.

¨      RTACs may "close" their meetings for the Performance Improvement portion.

¨      WARDS (WI Ambulance Run Data System) is operational and instructional classes are forthcoming.

¨      EMSC (EMS Children) is supporting each ambulance service to have a "Peds Champion".  Funds are available to cover training costs for each person attending a PEPP Course (Pediatric Education for Prehospital Providers).

¨      Senator Brown Tribute.  Ron Brown was presented with a plaque in appreciation of his continued efforts, support, and legislative initiatives to improve and sustain of the Wisconsin State Trauma Care System.

¨      HRSA Hospital Disaster Preparedness Update from Dennis Tomczyk.  Report for August 2006 (separate attachment). 

LSRTAC Project Coordinator Report

LSRTAC Project Coordinator Report

(cont.)

Dan Diamon gave a review of RTAC Coordinators group activities.  Please refer to RTAC Coordinators Minutes from 8/1/06 (separate attachment).  

¨      A "regional table-top" disaster exercise was held on Tuesday, June 27th at 6:30 PM at Northwood School in Minong, WI sponsored by the Lake Superior RTAC.  Dan Diamon and Jan Victorson facilitated.  Paul Wittkamp, EMS Communications Coordinator from DHFS was in attendance.  Excellent turnout of 55 people representing pre-hospital and hospital - very impressive.  Most important outcomes identified were:

1.       Communications

2.       Planning

3.       Hospital & Resource Management / Mutual Aid

¨      WARDS (Wisconsin Ambulance Run Data System) is operational now and instructional classes scheduled throughout the state.  Discussion on how area ambulances will implement this documentation.  Paper vs. computer report, tablets, etc.  Web-based is free.  Using a tablet requires software at an expense of about $1200.00.  Some services will do a paper report for timeliness and go back to their service and enter electronically.  There are pros and cons to this.  Lively discussion!

¨      Triage tags (free from HRSA) have been distributed to all EMS services by Dan Diamon.  Triage Tuesday is being encouraged as a learning tool to familiarize pre-hospital and hospital personnel with patient ID and tracking for disaster preparedness.  Triage Tuesday literature and objectives are being distributed throughout the RTACs to EMS and hospitals.  Usage has been inconsistent and hospital personnel have more questions.  Dan Diamon will improvise a simple powerpoint presentation on patient tracking that can be used for education.

¨      LSRTAC Newsletter by Dan Diamon has been well-received and informative. There has been positive feedback.  It is also posted on the LSRTAC website at www.lsrtac.com

Communications Interoperability

EMS Communications Interoperability Pilot Project is moving forward.  Lake Superior RTAC has been chosen for this pilot project for the State.  A committee has been formed including Dan Diamon, Randy Forstrom, Keith Kesler, Brian Cody, Paul Wittkamp, and others. The plan is to get standardized radio frequencies established for specific purposes to enhance communications in a disaster.  Pre-applicants have already been notified if they were chosen to apply.  Funding covers radios, marc repeaters, and reprogramming of existing radios with new mutual aid frequencies.  There is also funding to educate and move the helicopters to another frequency.  Radios must meet Project 25 standards.  HRSA will be able to pay the 25% matching funds required. By 2013 all radios must be "narrow band".  LSRTAC will represent the "Model Communications" for a regional triage plan.

Future Funding

STAC legal counsel has identified that regional RTACs may file for tax exempt status 501(c)3.  Lake Superior RTAC has inquired because this would allow us to apply for more grant monies in the future if necessary.  After discussion, there was a consensus that this should be done.  This process takes 6 -12 months and requires much work.  Merrilee has been advised by Les Whiteaker, our fiscal agent, that he would support this.  Merrilee will work on this process with Les.  Motion made by Brian Cody and seconded by Tim Ciembronowicz for LSRTAC to apply for tax exempt status.  Motion carried.

Education

Public Health Northern Consortia is offering a tabletop exercise on the use of the Interim Pharmaceutical Stockpile (IPS) for disaster preparedness.  It will be facilitated by Tom Grahek on September 28th from 9 - 11 AM at the Hayward Ramada Inn on Hwy 27 South.  It will be posted on the Lake Superior RTAC website at www.lsrtac.com

Process Improvement

STAC is developing trauma PI guidelines.  Members are asked to start thinking about a committee to address this regionally when advised by the State.

Future Meeting Dates

Next meeting will be:

     10/26/06      1-4 PM    Cable Community Centre      Cable, WI

Adjournment

Meeting adjourned at 2:50 PM.  Motion to adjourn made by Linda Vogel and seconded by Dianne Davis.  Motion carried.