PRINTER'S NO. 2911
No. 2293 Session of 1992
INTRODUCED BY RICHARDSON, E. Z. TAYLOR, THOMAS, JOSEPHS, RITTER,
ACOSTA, HUGHES, JAMES, CAWLEY, ROBINSON, TANGRETTI,
VAN HORNE, KAISER, D. W. SNYDER AND SAURMAN, JANUARY 7, 1992
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND WELFARE, JANUARY 7, 1992
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of July 3, 1985 (P.L.164, No.45), entitled "An
2 act relating to the prevention and reduction of premature
3 death and disability in this Commonwealth; providing for
4 assistance, coordination and support of the development and
5 maintenance of a comprehensive emergency medical services
6 system and for qualifications, eligibility and certification
7 of emergency medical services personnel and licensing
8 ambulance services; imposing powers and duties on the
9 Department of Health; and making repeals," further providing
10 for the validity of certificates of accreditation.
11 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
12 hereby enacts as follows:
13 Section 1. Section 6(a) of the act of July 3, 1985 (P.L.164,
14 No.45), known as the Emergency Medical Services Act, is amended
15 to read:
16 Section 6. Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation.
17 (a) Trauma center accreditation.--The Pennsylvania Trauma
18 Systems Foundation shall develop a private voluntary
19 accreditation program to:
20 (1) Establish standards for the operation of trauma
21 centers in this Commonwealth, adopting, at a minimum, the
1 current guidelines for trauma centers as defined by the
2 American College of Surgeons for Level I or Level II trauma
3 centers. For the purpose of reaccreditation, the standards
4 shall require, as a minimum, that each accredited Level I
5 trauma center shall establish that 600 severe and urgent
6 injury cases have been treated per year and Level II trauma
7 centers shall establish that 350 severe and urgent injury
8 cases have been treated per year.
9 (2) Evaluate any hospital which makes application to the
10 foundation to determine if the applicant hospital meets the
11 standards as adopted by the foundation. Such evaluation shall
12 include the conduct of hospital site visits by accreditation
13 survey teams composed of independent, qualified persons
14 selected by the foundation.
15 (3) Issue certificates of accreditation to those
16 hospitals which meet the accreditation standards.
17 Certificates of accreditation shall be valid for a period not
18 to exceed [two] three years. Certificates of accreditation
19 may be revoked by the foundation if it is determined that the
20 trauma center no longer meets accreditation standards as set
21 forth in this act.
22 (4) Establish an appeals mechanism to reconsider
23 accreditation decisions.
24 * * *
25 Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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