STATE TRAUMA ADVISORY COUNCIL (STAC)
MEETING MINUTES
SEPTEMBER 7, 2005
HOLIDAY INN,
MEMBERS PRESENT DHFS STAFF
Jim Austad Bruce Gordon
Karen Brasel Marianne Peck
Merrilee Carlson Helen Pullen
John Folstad Dennis Tomczyk
Ray Georgen Dan Williams
Jeff
Grimm
Barb Larson
Cal Lintz (representing EMS Advisory board)
Aimen Shaaban
Steve Stroman
Randy Szlabick
MEMBERS ABSENT
Steve Bane
Cecile D”Huyvetter
Ed Mishefske
OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE ORGANIZATION
Bob Nack
Judy Jones
N/NW RTAC /
Cinda Werner
Children’s Hospital,
John Walsh
Affinity Health
System,
Tammi Hovde WC RTAC Coordinator
Craig Nelson WC RTAC
Jay Metzger Gundersen Lutheran, LaCrosse
Nirav Patel GLMC, LaCrosse
Eric Peterson
Greg Friese NC RTAC Coordinator
Dan Diamon LS RTAC Coordinator
Amy McCray SE RTAC Coordinator
Tom Brazelton EMS-Children
Lynne Sears EMSC & SC RTAC Coordinator
Joe Ketarkus Meriter, Madison
Fred Hornely
Kelly Jung
Theda Clark,
Carol Immermann Franciscan Skemp, LaCrosse
Todd Van Langen
Gretchen Aschoff
Aspirus,
Janet
Volk
- Introductions - Dr. Randy Szlabick (Chair)
Dr. Szlabick began the meeting at 9:09 with introductions around the room.
- Approval of June Meeting Minutes - STAC
Dr. Szlabick asked for a review of the June meeting minutes. Barb Larson made a
motion to approve the minutes, with a second from Merrilee Carlson. Unanimous
approval, motion carried.
- DHFS Updates
- Bureau and DPH - Dan Williams
Dan Williams announced that the Bureau of Local Health Support and Emergency Medical Services (BLHS&EMS) have purchased a vendor for the Ambulance Run Report system. Dan stressed the importance of the ambulance run report system communicating with the State Trauma Registry.
Dan also announced the trauma system has been awarded solid funding for the next state budget year and along with all participants recognized Steve Stroman and Ed Mishefske for their tremendous efforts and hard work along with our champion Senator Ron Brown, to make this a reality.
- HRSA - Dennis Tomczyk
Dennis Tomczyk updated the group on hurricane Katrina. The Department of Health and Family Services is the lead agency to assist the evacuees in this state, which could potentially be up to 1000 people.
HRSA will pay first responders a small stipend for completing WEEPP training.
Dennis and the RTAC Coordinator group is also developing guidelines for implementing Triage Tuesday and establishing parameters for conducting regional emergency preparedness exercises. The group is also exploring best practices for tracking patients in a mass casualty incident. Consistent protocols from the field to the hospitals are critical.
HRSA will fund RTAC Coordinators through next June,
then the Bureau of LHS & EMS takes
over funding responsibilities. Dennis anticipates continuing to
work with the RTACs for further
- State Registry - Marianne Peck
Digital Innovation is working with DOIT (hosting site) to finish the next phase of the project. The project is still on target to upload data in October or early November. Marianne announced that she did receive grant money to fund a part time epidemiologist. The Bureau is examining best procedures for training all 120 plus Level III and IV hospitals.
Lynne Sears has expressed the continued concern that funding a trauma registrar must be a priority.
- Hospital Designation - Marianne Peck
Transfer agreements
Discussion on which hospitals need to have transfer agreements and with whom. All Verified Trauma Centers must have transfer agreements as does Critical Access facilities according to Federal and ACS expectations. Level IV's should have them as they will be transferring their critical patients to Level I and II facilities. Lynne Sears suggested hospitals check with their legal department. The group agreed that the generic transfer agreements that all hospitals have in place should suffice and do not need to develop separate agreements for trauma . JCAHO (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) standards come into play here. (Late entry - According to JCAHO standards, all hospitals (JCAHO certified) must have a process for continued care and follow up for the patient, whether transferred or discharged. Therefore, there must be a process in which hospital-to-hospital transfer includes the proper paperwork, medical care provided and other transfer information - which would be included in the "generic" transfer agreements. Further follow-up to come).
· ICU for Level IIIs
Further discussion included what constitutes an ICU and can
you be a Level III with a monitored room without ventilator
capabilities. There was not total agreement among all
participants, however, the situation will be monitored in the PI
process and site visits and addressed as needed. The majority
of participants felt that a recovery room can suffice as an ICU
and that the main point for Level III's is that they can do
emergency surgery and then transfer the patient to a
well-equipped ICU as needed. A "ventilator" is not required as
long as the equipment for monitoring and resuscitation is
available as required by the
There was also a question as to whether Nurse Practitioners and Physician's Assistants were required to have ATLS. The answer is no, though if they are involved in the resuscitation of the severely injured patient, auditing the class is strongly encouraged.
- RTAC Reports - RTAC Coordinators –Tabled due to lack of time
- Marketing update - Lynne Sears
Lynne Sears introduced the Staples Marketing team who showed various educational pieces that are being developed. The power pt. was a draft that can be used for all participants, a brochure for policy makers (along with a "white paper") and one for health care professionals is nearly completed. A website (www.witraumacare.org) is also in development and will be used as a clearinghouse by the Staples Marketing team. There will be training for the RTAC’s on how to use the materials. Next year there will be funding to prepare educational materials for the public.
- Collaboration between STAC,
·
Meeting time and place (
Marianne announced meetings will be moved to the
Tom Brazelton, MD, Chair of EMS-Children, addressed the group about the importance of collaboration and bringing the groups together (EMS Board, EMS-C and STAC) to decrease confusion, increase networking and avoiding duplication of resources. Dr.Brazelton also reminded the group that as federal dollars become more scarce, states will be "forced" to work together for spending and allocating of funds. Dan Williams echoed Dr. Brazelton explaining the wonderful opportunity to combine resources, eliminate overlap, increase efficiency and in the process actually save money. Helen Pullen, Marianne Peck and Dan Williams will work out specific detail meeting times but the initial thought is that the subcommittees of each group would meet on the first of the month, every other, even months - Tuesday and the major Boards will all meet on Wednesday one after the other allowing participants to attend any/all boards. Randy Szlabick made a motion, seconded by Aimen Shaaban. Unanimous approval, motion carried. Further information will follow.
- Establish Working Subcommittee – Marianne Peck
Marianne Peck requested the formation of a working sub-committee to help with
the upcoming projects for the trauma system. The main focus will be the
development of the site review process, and to work on the transition of
funding. Other potential results should be a regional trauma plan and PI template.
The working subcommittee will require STAC members (one to be Chair), RTAC
Coordinator, Pediatric and
must be included. See Marianne if interested.
- Other Business
Marianne announced that Senator Brown will be recognized and
speaking at the WATS (Wisconsin
American Trauma Society) conference
in
Jeff Grimm made a motion to adjourn the meeting with a second by John Folstad,
unanimous approval , meeting adjourned at 11:30am.
Next Meeting: October 12 at the Holiday Inn, East
Washington,
9AM to 11:30am.
Respectfully submitted,
Helen M Pullen and Marianne Peck