1.   Call to order by Andrea Winthrop, MD

2.   Minutes, January 24, 2006

Members Approved November 15, 2005 Minutes.

Minutes approved as written.

3.   Introductions

A.                    New Members

   Welcome to the three new members who attended! Welcome back Dr. Halim Hennes!

4.   SERTAC Chair Announcements

A.  Executive Council Meeting Report – by Andrea Winthrop

Report from today’s executive council meeting today at 2:15.

1. The new website www.sertac-wi.org is up and running very smoothly.  SERTAC committee members have access to guidelines, policies and other educational activities.  If you are interested in obtaining access to the website, contact Andrea Winthrop via E-mail:  Winthrop@mcw.edu for the password.

ü      Future links to access STAC meeting schedules and links to the State of Wisconsin Trauma Advisory Council will be added to the website.

ü      EMS Services and Hospital in the southeastern region demographic information is available on the website.

2.      Finance – Budgets for the 2005 and 2006 grant years were discussed.  Grant year funding for 2005 ends on June 2006 and the new grant funding cycle begins on July 1, 2006, with a $50,000 beginning balance.

ü      Executive council approved the RTAC Coordinator to remain a part-time employment position.

ü      Monthly Statements and budget reports will be distributed to SERTAC committee, once the treasurer can verify the accuracy of the funds.

ü      The treasure will be responsible for submitting monthly statements to the State of WI for reimbursement.

2.  Amy McCray, former RTAC Coordinator has officially stepped down.  The search for a replacement is underway at Froedtert Hospital, some ideal candidates have interviewed and we are hoping to make an offer within the next couple of weeks.   

B.  Announcements  - all members

1.  Upcoming Educational Activities:   WEMS presents the Childhood Emergencies: Prevention and Management Conference in Madison, WI at the Monona Terrace on March 20 & 21, 2006.  Registration fees are $120.00 for entire conference or $70.00 per day. (See attached Conference Brochure & Policy Forum Agenda)

2. HIRSH – Some Hospitals within the state of Wisconsin have applied for mast tragedy surge capacity cots for disaster preparation.  A cot was displayed in the conference room for viewing.

Please review your EMS services and/or hospital information on the website to verify the accuracy.  You may submit revisions, additions and changes to Winthrop@mcw.edu.

5.   STAC / RTAC Coordinators Meeting

STAC Meeting - Report by Marianne Peck

1)      STAC working group meets in Madison, WI on February 7 & 8 at 10:30 A.M.-12:30 P.M.

2)      PI Language Legislation -  Senator Brown will have an opportunity to introduce the PI language on February 9, hopefully implementation in winter of 2006.

3)      Cap Legislation -Consideration is being given to lifting litigation award caps.  This could have devastating effects resulting in a significant reduction in trauma physicians willing to provide trauma care services.

4)      Site Reviews: The state is in the process of arranging training for their reviewers for the site review verification.  Appointments will be scheduled in advance for site reviews starting in early fall of 2006. 

ü      While completing your hospital’s questionnaire verify that all of your information is accurate!

ü      The facility must meet criteria, all of your equipment items listed on the questionnaire must be there, do not list items that were budgeted for purchase.   

ü      To stay current with criteria, you must attend RTAC meeting! 

5)      Trauma Registry – The State of WI registry go- live across the entire state on July 1, 2006. 

a)      Data Submission/Entry:  Data submission requirements may be quarterly or by your own discretion. Levels III and IV are required to enter data into the website if they keep the patient, if the patient is transferred, the referring hospital should determine if they want to enter the information in the state’s registry or have the accepting hospital enter the data.  In general level I’s and II’s will be required to enter all of their data.

b)      Digital Innovation (Collector) Training:  The state is in the process of looking for funding in an effort to bring the American College of Surgeons in for a regional tabletop exercises or a private training entity to Wisconsin to perform a basis trauma registry coding and data entry course for members, possibility of a liaison and data entry person from each hospital.  

i)        Lisa Robinson, Ad Hoc Subcommittee will initiate telephone conferences every other week for questions and brainstorming. 

ii)       RTAC Registry will perform workshops to discuss the registry and training needs.

c)      Data Elements: The data elements were decided 2 years ago.  The data dictionary is in the final revision phase, a copy will be distributedto all members after completion. 

d)      HIPPA concerns:  Members were concerned that publishing their data on the state’s website would violate HIPPA laws.  The state will compose a letter to send to hospitals stating that the state rightfully by law may obtain information on “trauma” patients.

e)      Reports – Currently, obtaining standard reports form the registry is not available, look for additional information in the future on creating and obtaining reports from the state’s collector database.

f)  Credential – Proposed trauma registrar and trauma coordinator credential requirements are being reviewed, because of medical coding concerns.  Registrars’ and Coordinators’ may be required to have RHIT or RN documentation to meet state’s criteria.

6)      Advance Trauma Life Support (ATLS®) Courses: - Physicians are required to maintain their ATLS certification; STAC reported low availability of ATLS courses for physicians and referred the concern to the State of WI ATLS chair, Dr. Thomas Cogbill.  He will research the necessity for additional courses and report back to STAC with plans to provide more courses in rural areas.

6. Report for PI Sub-Committee New “Registry Committee”

Report by Steve Andrews:

As of January 2006, this committee voted and agreed to rename the PI subcommittee to the “Registry” committee.  This committee will begin monitoring the current performance improvement process and inquire with other states on their PI policy and procedures.

Revisions to SERTAC Bylaws include:

Remove “Verification Issues” on Page 5

Follow up items:

þ     Create uniformed trauma team activation policies, request procedures from Froedtert Hospital, Children’s Hospital and other states for comparison.

þ     Monitor the PI processes and inquire with other states on their procedures.

þ     What kinds of data elements are currently available?

þ     Request $5,000.00 from RTAC to assist in funding for the trauma registry training.

þ     If a surgeon is called in to treat a patient who meets trauma activation criteria, is their a code to use if the surgeon was cancelled?

7. Report for Education Sub-Committee

PTHL Course - SERTAC will be sponsoring 24 students to attend the upcoming PTHL course on April 22 & 23, 2006, routinely the course fee is $175.00.  A lottery system will be used to choose a participant from each county.  Only serious applicants should submit an application, please have an alternative person available to fill in at the last minute.  Submit applications to Lisa Heinz (lheinz@mrmcffl.org or 414/805-6432) and list a contact person.

Train the Trainer – The Train the Trainer course will receive $1400.00 in funding for training purposes.  Contact your RTAC Coordinator to find out the outcomes of the “Train the Trainer” sessions or present your items to the STAC meeting in February.

Revisions to SERTAC Bylaws include:

None mentioned at this time

Donations for breakfast, lunch, snacks and beverages are needed for the PTHL course!

Report from the Medical Oversight Sub-Committee

A “Transfer Agreement” letter sent to all area hospitals on behalf of Froedtert Hospital from John A. Weigelt, Professor & Chief Trauma Surgery and Cathy Buck, Executive Vice President/Operations raised some questions for committee members (see attached letter).  A. Winthrop will inquire with Children’s Hospital administration on their current policy and submit it to this committee for review.  Please forward additional questions on the “Transfer Agreement” to A. Winthrop for follow up.

Questions were raised as to the response time for surgeons when a patient(s) meets criteria for trauma activation A. Winthrop reiteration the ACS guidelines for a Surgeon’s Response time for major resuscitations for Levels I & II – the response time is 15 minutes.  Level III the response time is 30 minutes, occasionally within the thirty minute call time a patient could be in the process of being transferred to another facility, however, the surgeon should proceed to the hospital until notification of cancellation of call.

Add to the  SERTAC website the following links:

þ     EMS Website, EMS guidelines and resources.   

þ     ACS Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient: 1999 guidelines.

þ     HIRSE region 7 & Medical Society Bylaws

þ     CHW & FMLH PI filters & activation guidelines

8.   New Discussion Items

None

12. Next Executive Council Meeting

Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Froedtert Community Conference Center

8700 W.  Watertown Plank,  Conference Room #2

14:15 – 15:15

13. Next  SERTAC Meeting

Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Froedtert Community Conference Center

8700 W.  Watertown Plank,  Conference Room #2

15:15 – 16:15