§321-230 Technical assistance, data collection, evaluation. (a) The department may contract for technical assistance and consultation, including but not limited to categorization, data collection, and evaluation appropriate to the needs of the state system. The collection and analysis of statewide emergency medical services data, including pediatrics, trauma, cardiac, medical, and behavioral medical emergencies, shall be for the purpose of improving the quality of services provided.

The department may implement and maintain a trauma registry for the collection of information concerning the treatment of critical trauma patients at state designated trauma centers, and carry out a system for the management of that information. The system may provide for the recording of information concerning treatment received before and after a trauma patient's admission to a hospital or medical center. All state designated trauma centers shall submit to the department of health periodic reports of each patient treated for trauma in the state system in such manner as the department shall specify.

For the purposes of this subsection, "categorization" means systematic identification of the readiness and capabilities of hospitals and their staffs to adequately, expeditiously, and efficiently receive and treat emergency patients.

(b) The department shall establish, administer, and maintain an aeromedical emergency medical services system designed to collect and analyze data to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of each phase of an emergency aeromedical program.

The aeromedical emergency medical services system shall serve the emergency health needs of the people of the State by identifying:

(1) The system's strengths and weaknesses;

(2) The allocation of resources; and

(3) The development of rotary-wing emergency aeromedical services standards;

provided that emergency helicopter use, including triage protocols, shall be based on national aeromedical triage and transport guidelines established by the Association of Air Medical Services, the American College of Surgeons and the National Association of Emergency Medical Service Physicians. The department, in the implementation of this subsection, shall plan, coordinate, and provide assistance to all entities and agencies, public and private, involved in the system.

(c) The department shall use an emergency aeromedical services quality improvement committee comprised of representatives of trauma, emergency, and tertiary care physicians and providers to analyze information collected from the aeromedical quality improvement performance measures as established by the American College of Surgeons, and to recommend system standards and resources to maintain and improve the Hawaii emergency aeromedical services system. [L 1978, c 148, pt of §1; am L 1980, c 285, §4; am L 1981, c 93, §6; am L 1994, c 242, §5; am L 2002, c 150, §1; am L Sp 2003, c 2, §4]