Excerpt from EMSystem diversion policy
With EMSystem, the definition of hospital status is standardized across the entire Kansas City metropolitan area. However, EMS providers or emergency medical systems should continue to follow their local policies and procedures regarding the determination of hospital destinations. It is the position of the EMSystem Task Force that no operational policy or direction is given as a part of this document. It is up to each EMS agency to determine what they will do with the status information on EMSystem and further communicate their operational plans to their respective hospitals of interest. EMSystem provides standardized information to facilitate patient routing decisions.
Hospitals should attempt to avoid ambulance diversion. If diversion becomes necessary, however, emergency departments must update their status (i.e., open, resource alert, closed to ambulances, and out of service) on EMSystem.
Emergency departments must update their status in accordance with the defined intervals listed on the Kansas City region EMSystem Web site. EMSystem will prompt these updates with an audible tone and on-screen message. See the EMSystem Users Manual for the specific information required to update diversion status. Emergency departments that are unable to update their status on EMSystem must contact their EMCC and the EMCC must update emergency department status.
Dispatch centers, or EMCCs, must ensure that EMS units in the field are informed of the status of hospitals in their zones so that patients can be routed to the most appropriate facility. Air ambulance services must update their status in accordance with the defined intervals listed on the Kansas City region EMSystem Web site to ensure EMCCs are aware of the availability of air ambulance resources.
Source: Mid-America Regional Council Emergency Rescue Committee, Kansas City, MO.
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