information sections contained within shaded boxes. The information found in these shaded boxes is not measurable during the site survey and it is not mandatory for a hospital to comply with these remarks. The requirements described in the body of the standard that follows the introduction or general information sections, however, are mandatory. During a review of a hospital, the state will employ the standards as representing the minimum acceptable level of measure. The standards published in this document are subject to revision at any time through the rule promulgation process. Any hospital granted approval to operate as a provisional trauma center or granted a full seven-year Certificate of Approval shall comply with all revisions published herein, beginning the date the amended rule becomes law. 1.1 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION: The following definitions are explanations of words, phrases, and acronyms contained in the text of the subsequent chapters. As the standards found in this document are, in many cases, unique to the Florida trauma system, the definitions found in this chapter may also be unique and may not necessarily match those provided by other states or organizations that develop standards or guidelines for trauma centers. DEFINITIONS 1. ATLS Advanced Trauma Life Support course approved by the American College of Surgeons. 2. Arrive Promptly Arriving within 30 minutes, 90 percent of the time, from inside or outside the hospital to a specified area within the trauma center when summoned (for example, voice page, telephone, or beeper) to provide evaluation, consultation, treatment, or other defined services. The interval between the delivery of the patient at the trauma center and the arrival of the respondent should not have a measurably harmful effect on the course of patient management or outcome. 3. Board Certified Physicians certified by a medical specialty board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), American Osteopathic Association, a Canadian board, or other foreign board if recognized by the ABMS as an equivalent. 4. Continuing Medical Education (CME) Defined educational activities for practicing physicians, often resulting in approved credit hours from the American Medical Association, state medical society, a medical school, or hospital. For the purposes of this document, the Accreditation Council on Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), or an appropriate state medical society recognized by the ACCME or AOA to accredit state programs shall approve all CME. 5 Clinical Anesthesiology (CA) Indicates the year of post-graduate medical training (residency program) involvement of an anesthesiology resident, for example, CA-3. 6. Contact Hour The term used for continuing education credit, as defined by the Florida Board of Nursing. One contact hour equals 50 minutes of course content. 1.2 7. Continuing Education Planned educational activities intended to enrich the educational and experiential background of the health professional. 8. Credentialed A process in which an individual hospital grants specific medical practice privileges to physicians in recognition of levels of education, training, or experience. 9. Critical This term describes any trauma patient with potentially lifeor limb-threatening physiological variations or a variation in the level of consciousness. 10. Emergency Medical Service (EMS) System The arrangement of personnel, facilities, and equipment for the effective and coordinated delivery of prehospital emergency medical services required for the prevention and management of incidents. These incidents may occur as a result of a medical emergency, an injury, a natural disaster, or a similar situation. 11. In-Hospital Trauma Alert An alert issued by trauma center personnel to all trauma team members to arrive promptly to the trauma resuscitation area for a trauma alert patient not previously identified by EMS. 12. In-Hospital Trauma Registry A hospital wide database that integrates medical and system information related to trauma patient diagnosis and the provision of trauma care. 13. Post-Anesthesia Recovery/PostAnesthesia Care Unit (PAR/PACU) This is an area designated by the hospital for monitoring and treating patients following anesthesia. 14. Pediatric Patient A patient with anatomical and physical characteristics of a person 15 years or younger. 15. Pediatric Trauma Alert Patient A patient with the anatomical and physical characteristics of a person 15 years of age or younger who meets the pediatric trauma alert assessment criteria described in Rule 64J-2.005(2), (3), or (4), Florida Administrative Code. 16. Post-Graduate Year (PGY) Indicates the year of post-graduate medical training (residency program) involvement of a resident, for example, PGY-2. 17. Primary Care Specialty Includes internal medicine, family practice, general surgery, general practitioner, and pediatric medicine. Hospitals should use caution when using pediatricians to see adult patients in the emergency department. 1.3 18. Quality Management (QM) The utilization of a comprehensive approach, with measurable standards and indicators, to continuously monitor, evaluate, and improve the quality of trauma patient care. Often referred to as Total Quality Management (TQM), Quality Assurance (QA), and Continuous Quality Improvement