32.1-116.1 - Prehospital patient care reporting procedure; trauma registry; confidentiality.
§ 32.1-116.1. Prehospital patient care reporting procedure; trauma registry;confidentiality.
A. In order to collect data on the incidence, severity and cause of trauma,integrate the information available from other state agencies on trauma andimprove the delivery of prehospital and hospital emergency medical services,there is hereby established the Emergency Medical Services Patient CareInformation System. The Emergency Medical Services Patient Care InformationSystem shall include the Virginia Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Registryand the Virginia Statewide Trauma Registry.
All licensed emergency medical services agencies shall participate in theVirginia EMS Registry by making available to the Commissioner or hisdesignees the minimum data set in the format prescribed by the Board or anyother format which contain equivalent information and meets any technicalspecifications of the Board. The minimum data set shall include, but not belimited to, the type of medical emergency or nature of the call, the responsetime, the treatment provided and other items as prescribed by the Board.
Each licensed emergency medical services agency shall, upon request, disclosethe prehospital care report to law-enforcement officials (i) when the patientis the victim of a crime or (ii) when the patient is in the custody of thelaw-enforcement officials and has received emergency medical services or hasrefused emergency medical services.
The Commissioner may delegate the responsibility for collection of this datato the Office of Emergency Medical Services personnel or individuals undercontract to the Office. The Advisory Board shall assist in the design,implementation, subsequent revisions and analyses of the data from theVirginia EMS Registry.
B. All licensed hospitals which render emergency medical services shallparticipate in the Virginia Statewide Trauma Registry by making available tothe Commissioner or his designees abstracts of the records of all patientsadmitted to the institutions with diagnoses related to trauma. The abstractsshall be submitted in the format prescribed by the Department and shallinclude the minimum data set prescribed by the Board.
The Commissioner shall seek the advice and assistance of the Advisory Boardand the Trauma System Oversight and Management Committee in the design,implementation, subsequent revisions and analyses of the Virginia StatewideTrauma Registry.
C. Patient and other data or information submitted to the trauma registry ortransmitted to the Commissioner, the Advisory Board, any committee acting onbehalf of the Advisory Board, any hospital or prehospital care provider, anyregional emergency medical services council, permitted emergency medicalservices agency, or other group or committee for the purpose of monitoringand improving the quality of care pursuant to § 32.1-111.3, shall beprivileged and shall not be disclosed or obtained by legal discoveryproceedings, unless a circuit court, after a hearing and for good cause shownarising from extraordinary circumstances, orders disclosure of such data.
D. The Commissioner shall make available and share all information containedin the Virginia Statewide Trauma Registry with the Virginia Department ofRehabilitative Services so that the Department may develop and implementprograms and services for persons suffering from brain injuries.
(1987, c. 480; 2002, cc. 568, 658; 2003, c. 471; 2006, c. 412; 2007, c. 13;2008, c. 563.)