Trauma center designation

1. Five levels of hospital designation must be established. 2. Hospitals applying for level I, level II, or level III designation shall present evidence of having current trauma center verification from the American college of surgeons. The department shall issue designation with an expiration date consistent with the American college of surgeons verification expiration date. 3. Hospitals applying for level IV and level V trauma center designation must submit an application to the department. Once the application is approved by the department, an onsite verification visit shall be conducted by the department or its designee. The verification team shall compile a report. The application and report will be reviewed by the state trauma committee. If approved, the department shall issue the designation for up to three years to the facility. 4. Hospitals without trauma center designation or currently designated as a level IV or level V trauma center planning to apply for a level I, level II, or level III trauma center designation may apply for a provisional designation by submitting an application to the department. Once the application is approved by the department, an onsite visit shall be conducted by a team designated by the state trauma committee. The team shall compile a report. The application and report will be reviewed by the state trauma committee. If approved, the department shall issue a provisional designation for a maximum of twenty-four months. During these twenty-four months, the facility must complete an American college of surgeons verification visit. 5. Provisional trauma center designations for level I, level II, or level III trauma centers may be issued by the department to hospitals with deficiencies identified by the American college of surgeons and that are partially compliant with the trauma center standards. Hospitals must submit a plan of correction within one month after notification for deficiencies that are identified by the verification team. The plan of correction will be reviewed by the state trauma committee. If approved, the department may issue a provisional designation to the hospital for up to eighteen months or until another American college of surgeons verification visit is completed. 6. Provisional trauma center designations for level IV and level V trauma centers may be issued by the department to hospitals with deficiencies identified by the site survey team and reviewed by the state trauma committee and are partially compliant with the trauma center standards. Hospitals must submit a plan of correction within one month after notification for deficiencies that are identified by the site survey team. The plan of correction will be reviewed by the state trauma committee. If approved, the department may issue a provisional designation for up to twelve months to the hospital or until another state designation visit is completed. 7. The health council, in establishing a comprehensive trauma system, may designate an out-of-state hospital as a trauma center within fifty miles of any border of North Dakota.