(A) Level of services.
The emergency department offers level I comprehensive care twenty-four hours/day. Emergency medical services are provided to any patient requiring appropriate care in the university hospitals emergency department, university hospitals east emergency department or for any pregnant patient in the university hospitals labor and delivery triage unit that provides care twenty-four hours/day. No patient shall be arbitrarily transferred to another hospital if university hospitals have the capability of proceeding with the necessary care.
(B) Organization.
The respective department/unit shall be directed by a physician member of the attending medical staff, known as the medical director. An acting director shall be designated and authorized to perform the functions of the director when the director is not available. Both shall be board certified or eligible in emergency medicine and shall have at least three years training or experience.
(C) Coverage.
All patient care is the responsibility of attending, courtesy A and community affiliate medical staff. Medical coverage may be provided by limited staff under supervision by the attending, or courtesy A members of the medical staff. Medical screening examinations shall be performed by members of the medical staff or his/her designee appropriately credentialed by the hospital and under the supervision of the collaborating medical staff member. When a consultation or arrangement for admission is referred to specialty service, the member of the attending medical staff to whom the consult is directed shall be notified of the findings by the limited staff and concur in the treatment plan and disposition of the patient. This shall be recorded in the electronic medical record. When limited staff are unavailable or unable to provide the appropriate level of services, the attending staff member shall be contacted directly by the emergency department staff physician for provision of necessary and appropriate care (see 3335-43-07 (B) of the Administrative Code).
(D) Policies.
Written policies in each emergency department and in the labor and delivery triage unit shall be developed by the medical director in consultation with appropriate services. These shall be reviewed at least annually and approved by the medical staff or its representatives and the hospital administration. These shall be revised as needed and dated at time of last review.
(E) Records.
Records shall be maintained on all patients in accordance with the rules of the Joint Commission for a level I service. The emergency record shall be incorporated into the permanent hospital electronic medical record.
(Board approval dates: 9/6/2002, 9/18/2009, 4/6/2016)