The Florida Department of Health has spent five years designing new guidelines for how and where it approves new trauma centers in the state. Several hospital and health system executives attended a hearing Monday to say the department’s process and new rules are flawed, according to the report.
Dave Ciesla, the trauma medical director at Tampa (Fla.) GeneralHospital, said the state has failed to be transparent and has declined to work with experts on the new rule. Dr. Ciesla and other hospital leaders have disparaged the proposed rule for failing to set caps on the number of trauma centers that will be approved in each of Florida’s 19 trauma service areas. The rule sets a statewide cap of 44 trauma centers — compared to the current cap of 33 — but there is no minimum threshold for how many trauma centers each service area must have, according to the report.
Cynthia Gerdik, director of emergency, trauma and flight services at UF Health Jacksonville, said the proposed rule could allow for too many trauma centers to crop up in any one region, impairing hospitals’ ability to retain highly trained trauma physicians and nurses on stand-by.
The department announced the proposed rule Sept. 1 following three fact-finding workshops across the state. Several hospital leaders said during the Monday hearing that the concerns they raised during the workshops were not addressed.
More articles on facilities management:
Hospitals of Providence breaks ground on new micro-hospital
St. Francis in West Virginia consolidates lab with Thomas Memorial
Corning Community College breaks ground on health complex
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.
