D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 22, r. 22-B2702
The staff credentialing committee of an adult trauma care facility shall specifically delineate all privileges of members of the staff providing trauma services.
Each trauma team shall be organized and directed by a general surgeon with expertise in and commitment to the care of the injured. All patients with multiple system or major injuries shall be evaluated by the trauma services team.
Each trauma team shall be available in-house twenty-four (24) hours per day with attending coverage as specified in this chapter.
The team leader during the resuscitation efforts shall be an emergency department physician, until the arrival of a trauma surgeon who shall then act as the team leader.
Each facility shall provide a team approach for responding to the needs of and giving optimal care to patients with multiple-system injuries. Each team leader shall be a qualified surgeon contributing specific care in the area of his or her specialty, and shall continually oversee and coordinate the operation of the team and care of its patients throughout their hospital stay.
The team leader shall be able to interpret and reconcile the recommendations of team members and consultants from a number of specialties and accept the responsibility for transmitting those recommendations to the hospital staff.
Each adult trauma care facility shall appoint a Trauma Service Director, who shall be a board certified surgeon with demonstrated special competence in trauma care.
The Trauma Service Director shall have oversight authority for the care of each trauma patient and administrative authority for the hospital's trauma program.
The Trauma Service Director shall be responsible for recommending appointment to and removal from the trauma service, along with the medical staff credentialing committee, and in consultation with the appropriate service chief.
The Trauma Service Director shall meet each of the specific qualifications for surgeons, including personal involvement in the care of the injured, education in trauma care, involvement in professional trauma organizations, and board certification.
In adult trauma care facilities, the Trauma Service Director shall have active involvement or participation as an instructor in the American College of Surgeons Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) courses, participation in other Continuing Medical Education (CME) courses, and the provision of instruction to other health care personnel.
The Trauma Service Director shall have the appropriate specific responsibilities of evaluating newly appointed members of the trauma service and overseeing ongoing education for new and existing attending surgeons and physicians as appropriate.
The Trauma Service Director, or his or her designee, shall participate in the development of trauma-care systems at the community, state, or national levels.
The Trauma Service Director in Level I facilities shall be responsible for encouraging the staff to undertake clinical and basic research, with publication of their results.
The Trauma Service Director shall make presentations on trauma care to medical staff and other health care organizations providing trauma care.
The Trauma Service Director shall be responsible for quality improvement in each adult trauma care facility.
Each adult trauma care facility shall have designated specialists available twenty-four (24) hours per day for the care of major trauma patients.
Each adult trauma care facility shall be staffed by surgeons who are board certified in a surgical specialty recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties.
Each trauma surgeon in an adult trauma care facility shall have an interest in and a commitment to trauma care, demonstrated by participation in the organization of trauma protocols, trauma teams, trauma call rosters, and trauma rounds.
General surgeons on the trauma team in adult trauma care facilities shall successfully complete the "American College of Surgeons Advanced Trauma Life Support Course."
Each surgeon member of the trauma team shall participate in a minimum of sixteen (16) hours of trauma related Continuing Medical Education (CME) courses per year. At least fifty percent (50%) of this CME shall be extramural, and both Category I and II CME may be counted toward satisfying this requirement.
A physician's participation in regional groups, such as state and regional trauma committees, and membership in regional organizations, shall constitute significant involvement in and commitment to trauma-related matters.
In each adult trauma care facility, the emergency physician shall be a member of the trauma team who participates in the care of the patient, and in all audits and critiques necessary for excellence in trauma care.
Emergency physicians shall be involved with surgeons in the development of trauma care systems as part of the overall development of emergency medical systems in the community. In addition, they shall be active in organizations contributing to the benefit of injured patients.
An anesthesiologist shall have the overall responsibility for preoperative airway control of the patient during resuscitation, and act as postoperative consultant in cardiorespiratory support and pain control. Anesthesiologists on the trauma team shall be appropriately certified, have the necessary educational background in care of the trauma patient, and engage in trauma quality improvement and in investigative, teaching, and community activities.
The emergency physician and anesthesiologist on the trauma team shall be board certified in their specialty as recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties.
In each adult trauma care facility, the following medical specialists shall be available for consultation in the care of patients with multiple injuries:
D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 22, r. 22-B2702