395.4045  Emergency medical service providers; transport of trauma victims to trauma centers.--

(1)  Each emergency medical services provider licensed under chapter 401 shall transport trauma victims to hospitals approved as trauma centers, except as may be provided for either in department-approved local or regional trauma transport protocol or, if no local or regional trauma transport protocol is in effect, as provided for in a department-approved provider's trauma transport protocol. Development of regional trauma protocols shall be through consultation with interested parties, including, but not limited to, each approved trauma center; physicians specializing in trauma care, emergency care, and surgery in the region; each trauma system administrator in the region; and each emergency medical service provider in the region licensed under chapter 401. Trauma victims shall be identified through the use of a trauma scoring system. The department shall specify by rule the subjects to be included in an emergency medical service provider's trauma transport protocol and shall approve or disapprove each such protocol.

(2)  If an air ambulance service is available in the trauma service area in which an emergency medical service provider is located, trauma transport protocols shall not provide for transport outside of the trauma service area unless otherwise provided for by written mutual agreement. If air ambulance service is not available and there is no agreement for interagency transport of trauma patients between two adjacent local or regional trauma agencies, both of which include at least one approved trauma center, then the transport of a trauma patient with an immediately life-threatening condition shall be to the most appropriate trauma center as defined pursuant to trauma transport protocols approved by the department. The provisions of this subsection shall apply only to those counties with a population in excess of 1 million residents.

History.--s. 6, ch. 87-399; s. 1, ch. 88-303; ss. 42, 98, ch. 92-289.