Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 48 - PUBLIC HEALTH-GENERAL
Part I - General Administration
Subpart 15 - Emergency Response Network
Chapter 191 - Trauma Protocols
Section I-19107 - Interregional Transfer Protocol

Universal Citation: LA Admin Code I-19107

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 12, December 20, 2024

A. On June 18, 2009, the Louisiana Emergency Response Network Board [R.S. 40:2842(1)] adopted and promulgated "Interregional Transfer Protocol" for the Louis iana Emergency Response Network [R.S. 40:2842(3)], as follows.

1. The LERN interregional transfer protocol only applies to those regions and (hospitals/EMS) that are participating in the LERN network.

2. The interregional transfer protocol will be tested over a 90 day period. At the end of the 90 days all interregional transfers will be reviewed for compliance with protocols, quality, patient safety and standards of care. This information will be shared with commissions of the regions participating as well as the LERN board and the "design the system group". Decisions regarding the interregional transfer protocol will be made at the end of the 90 days trial period.

3. Interregional Transfer Protocol
a. All patients whose condition exceeds the regionally available resources provided by local area hospitals may be transferred from one region to another following LERN interregional transfer protocol. Destination to the definitive care hospital in the receiving region will follow the LERN standard protocol (all laws regarding EMTALA apply).

b. Only regions operating with the LERN standard protocol will be involved in the LERN interregional transfer protocol.

c. Patients being transferred via the LERN interregional transfer protocol must:
i. be assessed at a local area hospital for treatment and stabilized by a physician and meet the entry criteria as determined by LERN standard protocol;

ii. treating physician will call LERN to request a transfer to another hospital;

iii. LCC (LERN call center) will determine the closest and most appropriate facility available following LERN standard protocol;

iv. if there are no available resources in the region then the LCC will locate an appropriate facility outside the region, and an interregional transfer will be considered. (All LERN interregional transfers will be reviewed by LERN medical directors and data will be collected for QI/PI.)

d. Exceptions
i. EMS requesting LERN for patients located on or close to borders between two regions will and can be directed to either region based on the patient needs and available resources.

ii. Air-med at the scene that is able to mitigate the time of transfer of long distances will and can be directed to hospitals outside the region they originate from based on patients needs and available resources.

iii. LERN medical directors will be involved in the decision making (real time) in all patients that fall into the exception category.

B. On August 20, 2009, the Louisiana Emergency Response Network Board [R.S. 40:2842(1)] adopted and promulgated the amended "Interregional Transfer Protocol" for the Louisiana Emergency Response Network [R.S. 40:2842(3)], as follows.

1. The LERN interregional transfer protocol only applies to those regions, hospitals and pre-hospital providers that are participating in the LERN network.

2. The interregional transfer protocol will be tested over a 90 day period, at the end of which all interregional transfers will be reviewed for compliance with protocols, quality, patient safety and standards of care. This information will be shared with regional commissions, LERN Board, and LERN design the system work group. Decisions regarding the Interregional Transfer Protocol will be made at the end of the 90-day trial period.

3. Interregional Transfer Protocol
a. All patients whose conditions exceed the regionally available resources provided by local area hospitals may be transferred from one region to another following LERN interregional transfer protocol. Destination to the definitive care hospital in the receiving region will follow the LERN standard protocol. All laws regarding EMTALA apply.

b. Only regions operating with the LERN standard protocol will be involved in the LERN interregional transfer protocol.

c. Patients transferred via the LERN interregional transfer protocol must:
i. be assessed at a local area hospital for treatment, be stabilized by a physician, and meet the entry criteria as determined by LERN standard protocol; and

ii. have a treating physician call LERN to request a transfer to another hospital.

d. The LERN call center (LCC) will determine the closest and most appropriate facility available following LERN standard protocol.

e. If there are no available resources in the region, the LCC will locate an appropriate facility outside the region, and a interregional transfer will be considered.

f. All LERN interregional transfers will be reviewed by LERN medical directors and data will be collected for QI/PI.

g. Exceptions
i. Pre-hospital providers requesting LERN for patients located on or close to borders between regions will and can be directed to either region based on the patient needs and available resources.

ii. Air-med at the scene able to mitigate the time of transfer of long distances will and can be directed to hospitals outside the region they originate from, based on patient needs and available resources.

iii. LERN medical directors will be involved in the decision making for all patients in the exception category.

C. These protocols were published at LR 35:2109-2110 (September 20, 2009).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 9:2798.5 and R.S. 40:2846(A).

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Louisiana may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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