LAC 48:I.19111. Interregional Transfer Protocol

A. On January 20, 2011, the Louisiana Emergency Response Network Board (R.S. 40:2842(1) and (3)) adopted and promulgated "LERN Hospital Interregional Transfer Guidelines” and “LERN Hospital Interregional Transfer Protocol", replacing "Interregional Transfer Protocol" adopted June 18, 2009, as follows. 1. LERN Hospital Interregional Transfer Guidelines a. All patients whose conditions exceed the regionally available resources provided by local area hospitals may be transferred from one region to another following LERN interregional transfer protocol. b. The LERN hospital interregional transfer protocol only applies to hospitals that are participating in the LERN network. c. Regions or individual parishes that have MOU’s (which include medical control and destination guidelines), between an ACS verified level 1 trauma center and a local parish medical society(ies) will be incorporated into the LCC standard operating procedure for the effected region(s). 2. LERN Hospital Interregional Transfer Protocol a. Patients transferred via the LERN hospital interregional transfer protocol must: i. meet LERN standard entry criteria that requires resources and/or capabilities not available in that region; ii. be assessed and stabilized to the best of their ability at a local area hospital prior to transport to the closest appropriate hospital; iii. the treating physician/nurse must contact LERN to request a transfer. The LERN communications center (LCC) will determine the closest and most appropriate facility available following the LERN standard destination protocol. B. These guidelines and protocols were published at LR 37:751 (February 20, 2011).