DHS 118.03(32) (32) “Pediatric trauma center” means a freestanding or separate administrative unit in a hospital that is dedicated to addressing the trauma needs of a pediatric patient population and meets the resource requirements outlined by the ACS for verification as a pediatric trauma center.

DHS 118.03(33) (33) “Performance improvement” means a method of evaluating and improving processes of trauma patient care that emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach to problem solving.

DHS 118.03(34) (34) “Physician” means a person licensed under ch. 448, Stats., to practice medicine and surgery.

DHS 118.03(34m) (34m) “PIPS” means performance improvement and patient safety.

DHS 118.03(35) (35) “Protocol” means a written statement approved by the department and signed and dated by the medical director that lists and describes the steps any out-of-hospital care provider is to follow in assessing and treating a patient.

DHS 118.03(36) (36) “Regional trauma advisory council” or “RTAC” means an organized group of healthcare entities and other concerned individuals who have an interest in organizing and improving trauma care within a specified geographic region approved by the department.

DHS 118.03(37) (37) “Regional trauma plan” means a written report prepared by an RTAC that meets all of the following criteria:

DHS 118.03(37)(a) (a) Identifies the region’s current trauma care development strengths and weaknesses.

DHS 118.03(37)(b) (b) Describes specific goals for future growth and activities in the region.

DHS 118.03(37)(c) (c) Is based on the RTAC’s needs assessment.

DHS 118.03(38) (38) “Resource hospital” means a hospital in Wisconsin or a bordering state that makes a written commitment to assist the level III coordinating facility of an RTAC to meet the needs required for the development, implementation, maintenance and evaluation of the regional trauma system.

DHS 118.03(39) (39) “Rural” means outside a metropolitan statistical area specified under 42 CFR 412.62 (ii) (A) or in a city, village or town with a population of less than 14,000.

DHS 118.03(40) (40) “Statewide trauma advisory council” or “STAC” means the entity established by the department to advise the department on a variety of issues pertaining to the establishment and operation of the statewide trauma care system.

DHS 118.03(40g) (40g) “TMD” means trauma medical director.

DHS 118.03(40r) (40r) “TPM” means trauma program manager.

DHS 118.03(41) (41) “Trauma care system” means a comprehensive and organized approach to facilitating and coordinating a multidisciplinary system response to traumatically injured patients and includes the continuum of care from initial injury detection through definitive care, rehabilitation and injury control.

DHS 118.03(42) (42) “Trauma care facility” or “TCF” means a hospital that the department has approved as having the services and capabilities of a level I, II, III or IV trauma care facility.

DHS 118.03(43) (43) “Traumatic injury” means major or severe injuries to more than one system of a person’s body or major injury to a single system of the body that has the potential of causing death or major disability.

DHS 118.03(44) (44) “Trauma registry” means a system for collecting data from hospitals for which the department manages and analyzes the data and disseminates the results.

DHS 118.03(45) (45) “Triage” means classifying patients according to the severity of their medical conditions at the scene of an injury or onset of illness and subsequently providing care first to those patients with the greatest medical needs and who are likely to benefit from that care.

DHS 118.03(45g) (45g) “Type 1 Criteria” means required criteria identified in Appendix A that may significantly impact a trauma care facility’s ability to provide optimal care for trauma patients.

DHS 118.03(45r) (45r) “Type 2 Criteria” means required criteria identified in Appendix A that may impact a trauma care facility’s ability to provide optimal care for trauma patients.

DHS 118.03(46) (46) “Unclassified hospital” means a hospital that either has chosen not to be a part of Wisconsin’s trauma care system, or a hospital that the department has not approved as a level I, II, III or IV trauma care facility.

DHS 118.03(47) (47) “Urban” means an area within a metropolitan statistical area specified under 42 CFR 412.62 (ii) (A) or in a city, village or town with a population of 14,000 or more.

DHS 118.03(48) (48) “Verification” means the process specified by the ACS whereby a hospital desiring recognition as a level I, II, III or IV trauma care facility is designated as that level by the ACS.

DHS 118.03 History History: CR 04-055: cr. Register December 2004 No. 588, eff. 1-1-05; corrections in (1), (9), (11), (13), (14) and (17) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 6. and 7., Stats., Register January 2009 No. 637; correction in (11) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register July 2011 No. 667; correction in (13) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register March 2014 No. 699; CR 19-086: cr. (2m), (3m), (6m), (10m), (17m), (24m), am. (32), cr. (34m), (40g), (40r), am. (42), cr. (45g), (45r) Register May 2021 No. 785, eff. 10-1-21; CR 23-046: cr. (10d), (10j), r. and recr. (11), r. (13), (14), am. (16) (g), (h), (25) (intro.), (a), (b), (28) to (30) Register April 2024 No. 820, eff. 5-1-24.

subch. II of ch. DHS 118 Subchapter II — Statewide Organization for Trauma Care

DHS 118.04 DHS 118.04 Lead agency.

DHS 118.04(1) (1) Designation. The department shall be the lead agency for the development, implementation and monitoring of the statewide trauma care system.