The Florida Senate

395.4001  Definitions.--As used in this part, the term:

(1)  "Agency" means the Agency for Health Care Administration.

(2)  "Charity care" or "uncompensated charity care" means that portion of hospital charges reported to the agency for which there is no compensation for care provided to a patient whose family income for the 12 months preceding the determination is less than or equal to 150 percent of the federal poverty level, unless the amount of hospital charges due from the patient exceeds 25 percent of the annual family income. However, in no case shall the hospital charges for a patient whose family income exceeds four times the federal poverty level for a family of four be considered charity.

(3)  "Department" means the Department of Health.

(4)  "Interfacility trauma transfer" means the transfer of a trauma victim between two facilities licensed under this chapter, pursuant to this part.

(5)  "Level I trauma center" means a trauma center that:

(a)  Has formal research and education programs for the enhancement of trauma care and is determined by the department to be in substantial compliance with Level I trauma center and pediatric trauma referral center standards.

(b)  Serves as a resource facility to Level II trauma centers, pediatric trauma referral centers, and general hospitals through shared outreach, education, and quality improvement activities.

(c)  Participates in an inclusive system of trauma care, including providing leadership, system evaluation, and quality improvement activities.

(6)  "Level II trauma center" means a trauma center that:

(a)  Is determined by the department to be in substantial compliance with Level II trauma center standards.

(b)  Serves as a resource facility to general hospitals through shared outreach, education, and quality improvement activities.

(c)  Participates in an inclusive system of trauma care.

(7)  "Pediatric trauma referral center" means a hospital that is determined by the department to be in substantial compliance with pediatric trauma referral center standards as established by rule of the department.

(8)  "State-approved trauma center" means a hospital that has successfully completed the selection process pursuant to s. 395.4025 and has been approved by the department to operate as a trauma center in the state.

(9)  "State-sponsored trauma center" means a trauma center or pediatric trauma referral center that receives state funding for trauma care services under s. 395.403

(10)  "Trauma agency" means a department-approved agency established and operated by one or more counties, or a department-approved entity with which one or more counties contract, for the purpose of administering an inclusive regional trauma system.

(11)  "Trauma alert victim" means a person who has incurred a single or multisystem injury due to blunt or penetrating means or burns, who requires immediate medical intervention or treatment, and who meets one or more of the adult or pediatric scorecard criteria established by the department by rule.

(12)  "Trauma center" means any hospital that has been determined by the department to be in substantial compliance with trauma center verification standards as either state-approved or provisional state-approved.

(13)  "Trauma scorecard" means a statewide methodology adopted by the department by rule under which a person who has incurred a traumatic injury is graded as to the severity of his or her injuries or illness and which methodology is used as the basis for making destination decisions.

(14)  "Trauma transport protocol" means a document which describes the policies, processes, and procedures governing the dispatch of vehicles, the triage, prehospital transport, and interfacility trauma transfer of trauma victims.

(15)  "Trauma victim" means any person who has incurred a single or multisystem injury due to blunt or penetrating means or burns and who requires immediate medical intervention or treatment.

History.--s. 1, ch. 2000-189.