Emergency Diagnosis - C Kieth - Anything Prepping.com

consultation should be available within 30 minutes.
3. Level III—This service offers emergency care 24 hours a day with at least one
physician on duty in the emergency care area available within 30 minutes through a
medical staff call roster.
4. Level IV—This service is capable of performing a triage function and can administer
life-saving first aid until transportation to the nearest appropriate facility is available.
D. Hospitals Categorized by Areas of Care
Hospitals can also be categorized by special areas of care (eg, trauma, burns, neonatal
intensive care), especially where regionalization of services in these areas is practiced.
The American College of Surgeons, for example, has established the following
categorization of trauma facilities:
1. Level I—This designates a full-service trauma center that can provide optimal care of
the trauma patient. One or more experienced emergency physicians, a general surgeon,
anesthesiology services, laboratory, blood bank, and an operating room team must be
available in-house 24 hours a day. All surgical subspecialty services should be
immediately available on call. A commitment to education and research in trauma must
also be demonstrated.
2. Level II—This trauma center is similar to a level I center but does not necessarily
include a commitment to education or research. Occasionally patients with the most
severe injuries or those needing highly specialized care may be transferred from a level
II center to a level I center.
3. Level III—This trauma center does not have all of the resources available at a level I
or level II center but may represent the highest level available in a given community.
Usually, initial stabilization and life-saving procedures are performed and the patient is
then transferred to a level I or level II center.
EMS Administration
EMS systems may be administered through a variety of organizations, including local
health departments, public safety agencies such as police or fire departments, hospitals,
or privately owned provider agencies. Often several of these agencies operate EMS
systems in the same area, and these agencies are coordinated through an EMS
regional council, which interacts with hospitals, public safety agencies, and physician
medical directors; sets operational standards; and monitors performance (quality
assurance).
Operation of the EMS System
One way to visualize the interplay between various components of the EMS system is to
review the sequence of events surrounding a typical emergency medical incident. There
are 4 major phases: (1) report of the emergency and activation of the EMS system, (2)
dispatch of appropriate prehospital units, (3) medical evaluation and field treatment by
EMS personnel, and (4) transport of the patient to the appropriate hospital.