Chapter DHS 118

Register July 2011 No. 667

Chapter DHS 118

TRAUMA CARE

Subchapter I — General Provisions

DHS 118.01   Authority and purpose.

DHS 118.02   Applicability.

DHS 118.03   Definitions.

Subchapter II — Statewide Organization for Trauma Care

DHS 118.04   Lead agency.

DHS 118.05   Statewide trauma advisory council.

DHS 118.06   Regional trauma advisory councils.

DHS 118.07   EMS services.

DHS 118.08   Hospitals.

Subchapter III — Trauma Care Improvement

DHS 118.09   Trauma registry.

DHS 118.10   Performance improvement.

Ch. DHS 118 Note Note: Chapter HFS 118 was renumbered chapter DHS 118 under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 1., Stats., and corrections made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7, Stats., Register January 2009 No. 637.

subch. I of ch. DHS 118 Subchapter I — General Provisions

DHS 118.01 DHS 118.01 Authority and purpose. This chapter is promulgated under the authority of s. 256.25 (2), Stats., to develop and implement a statewide trauma care system. The purpose of the statewide trauma care system is to reduce death and disability resulting from traumatic injury by decreasing the incidence of trauma, providing optimal care of trauma victims and their families, and collecting and analyzing trauma-related data.

DHS 118.01 History History: CR 04-055: cr. Register December 2004 No. 588, eff. 1-1-05; correction made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register January 2009 No. 637.

DHS 118.02 DHS 118.02 Applicability. This chapter applies to all of the following:

DHS 118.02(1) (1) The department.

DHS 118.02(2) (2) All persons who are any of the following:

DHS 118.02(2)(a) (a) An emergency medical services practitioner.

DHS 118.02(2)(d) (d) A medical director.

DHS 118.02(2)(e) (e) An emergency medical responder.

DHS 118.02(3) (3) A hospital approved under subch. II of ch. 50, Stats., and ch. DHS 124, excluding hospitals whose principal purpose is to treat persons with a mental illness.

DHS 118.02(4) (4) An ambulance service provider licensed under s. 256.15, Stats., and ch. DHS 110.

DHS 118.02(5) (5) A regional trauma advisory council developed by the department pursuant to s. 256.25 (1r), Stats.

DHS 118.02(6) (6) Any health care provider involved in the detection, prevention or care of an injured person and is a member of a Wisconsin RTAC.

DHS 118.02(7) (7) A Wisconsin law enforcement agency that is a member of a Wisconsin RTAC.

DHS 118.02 History History: CR 04-055: cr. Register December 2004 No. 588, eff. 1-1-05; corrections in (3), (4) and (5) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register January 2009 No. 637; correction in (4) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register July 2011 No. 667; CR 23-046: am. (2) (a), r. (2) (b), (c), am. (2) (e) Register April 2024 No. 820, eff. 5-1-24.

DHS 118.03 DHS 118.03 Definitions. In this chapter:

DHS 118.03(1) (1) “Ambulance service provider” has the meaning specified in s. 256.01 (3), Stats., namely, a person engaged in the business of transporting sick, disabled or injured individuals by ambulance to or from facilities or institutions providing health services.

DHS 118.03(2) (2) “ACS” means the American college of surgeons.

DHS 118.03(2m) (2m) “APP” means advanced practice provider.

DHS 118.03(3) (3) “Assessment and classification criteria” means the required trauma care services and capabilities for a hospital to be classified as a Level III or IV trauma care facility.

DHS 118.03(3m) (3m) “ATLS” means advanced trauma life support.

DHS 118.03(4) (4) “Audit” means a close examination of a situation or event in a multidisciplinary peer review.

DHS 118.03(5) (5) “Bypass” means to forego delivery of a patient to the nearest hospital for a hospital whose resources are more appropriate for the patient’s injury pursuant to direction given to a pre-hospital emergency medical service by on-line medical direction or predetermined triage criteria.

DHS 118.03(6) (6) “Classification” means the process whereby a hospital identifies its service level as a trauma care facility and the department reviews and approves the hospital as a provider of a level of trauma care services to meet the needs of the severely injured patient.

DHS 118.03(6m) (6m) “CT” means computed tomography.

DHS 118.03(7) (7) “Coordinating facility” means an ACS verified level I or II hospital that has a collaborative relationship with the regional trauma advisory council and the department as specified under s. DHS 118.06 (3) (c).

DHS 118.03(8) (8) “Definitive care” means comprehensive care for the full spectrum of injuries beyond the initial assessment and resuscitation phase.

DHS 118.03(9) (9) “Department” means the department of health services.

DHS 118.03(10) (10) “Dispatch” means identifying and coordinating the emergency resources needed to respond to a specific traumatic injury or illness.

DHS 118.03(10d) (10d) “Emergency medical responder” ” has the meaning given in s. 256.01 (4p), Stats.

DHS 118.03(10j) (10j) “Emergency medical responder service” means a group of persons licensed by the department under s. 256.15 (8), Stats., who are employed or organized to provide emergency care to sick, disabled, or injured individuals as a response for aid requested through a public service access point in conjunction with the dispatch of an ambulance, but who do not provide ambulance transportation of a patient.

DHS 118.03(10m) (10m) “EMS” means emergency medical services.

DHS 118.03(11) (11) “Emergency medical services practitioner” has the meaning given in s. 256.01 (5), Stats.

DHS 118.03(12) (12) “Executive council” means the RTAC leadership body, which is composed of professionals from each region who reflect trauma care expertise, leadership and diversity within each trauma care region.

DHS 118.03(15) (15) “Fiscal agent” means the person or organization responsible for transactions of RTAC funds.

DHS 118.03(16) (16) “Health care provider” means a medical professional who or organization that is involved in either the detection, prevention, or care of an injured person and includes all of the following:

DHS 118.03(16)(a) (a) A nurse licensed under ch. 441, Stats.

DHS 118.03(16)(b) (b) A dentist licensed under ch. 447, Stats.

DHS 118.03(16)(c) (c) A physician or physician assistant licensed under subch. II of ch. 448, Stats.

DHS 118.03(16)(d) (d) A rural medical center, as defined in s. 50.50 (11), Stats.