HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity of Tamarac Resolution (14)Page 1
Temp. Reso. #9655
January 8, 2002
CITY OF TAMARAC, FLORIDA
RESOLUTION NO. R-2002-014
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF TAMARAC, FLORIDA, SUPPORTING WESTSIDE
REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER'S APPLICATION TO
BECOME A STATE APPROVED TRAUMA CENTER;
PROVIDING FOR CONFLICTS; PROVIDING FOR
SEVERABILITY; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, Florida Department of Health rules allow for four State Approved
Trauma Centers (SATC) in Broward County, but currently only three exist; and
WHEREAS, all three existing Trauma Centers are close to or east of 1-95, while
55.7% of Broward County residents live west of the Turnpike; and
WHEREAS, a majority of Broward County's population lives more than 20 minutes'
driving time away from a trauma center, requiring frequent helicopter transport provided by
Broward Sheriff's Office; and
WHEREAS, in the year 2000, 86% of air transports came from west of the Turnpike,
most from the immediate vicinity of Westside Regional Medical Center; and
WHEREAS, Westside Regional Medical Center has the county's largest emergency
services department, and state-of-the-art surgical facilities; and
WHEREAS, Westside Regional Medical Center's location makes it uniquely
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Temp. Reso. #9655
January 8, 2002
positioned to serve West and Central Broward County's trauma needs; and
WHEREAS, residents of West and Central Broward County need equal access to
trauma services and Westside Regional Medical Center is most qualified and centrally
located to provide such services; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission of the City of Tamarac deems it to be in the best
interest of the citizens and residents of the City of Tamarac and the citizens and residents
of all cities in west/central Broward County to support Westside Regional Medical Center's
application to become a State Approved Trauma Center.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF TAMARAC, FLORIDA:
SECTION 1: The foregoing WHEREAS clauses are hereby ratified and confirmed as
being true and correct and are hereby made a specific part of this Resolution.
SECTION 2: That the City Commission of the City of Tamarac supports Westside
Regional Medical Center's application to becoma_a State Approved Trauma Center.
SECTION 3: All resolutions or parts of resolutions in conflict herevMth are he`r'eby
repealed to the extent of such conflict.
SECTION 4: If any clause, section, other part or application of this Resolution is
held by any court of competent jurisdiction to be unconstitutional or invalid, in part or
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Temp. Reso. #9655
January 8, 2002
application, it shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions or applications of this
Resolution.
SECTION 5: This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon adoption.
PASSED, ADOPTED, AND APPROVED this gh day of January, 2002.
/ JOE SCHREIBER
F MAYOR
ATTEST;
RECORD OF COMMISSION VOTE:
MARION_SWE SON, CMC
CrrY'ELERK
I HEREBY CERTIFY that I
have approved this
RESOLUTION as to form.
V-MlS.
CITY ATTORNEY
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MAYOR SCHREIBER A e,
DIST 1: COMM. PORTNER A e.
DIST 2: COMM. MISHKIN A ev
DIST 3: V/M SULTANOF A e,
DIST 4: COMM. ROBERTS A e,
West Broward loses bid for trauma center in Plantation f 1n l Gz I�1Q �,.,. ,,, ti Page 1 of 2
Nome News Sports Entertainment Classified Business Weather Shopping
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West Broward loses bid for trauma center in
Plantation
By Bob LaMendola
Health Writer
January 17, 2002
The state Department of Health reversed itself Wednesday and ruled that Broward County will not get
a fourth trauma hospital, dealing a blow to western areas that hoped for a unit on their turf.
The state's decision squelches -- at least for now -- a campaign by Westside Regional Medical Center
in Plantation to land the first trauma unit west of State Road 7 inside its renovated emergency room.
"It's a disappointment. We need to have trauma services closer to the trauma patients," said Plantation
Fire Chief Robert Pudney, a supporter of the hospital's effort.
The Health Department's director of emergency medical services decided that his office was wrong in
September to interpret a law as allowing a fourth trauma unit in Broward, then ordering that one be
created, without any comment from county trauma planners who oppose the new unit.
"The department lacked the authority to unilaterally" make the decision, director A.H. Clawson wrote
in a letter to Broward officials.
Score it a v:,,tory for Broward's two tax -assisted hospital districts, which operate the trauma units at
Broward General Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood and
North Broward Medical Center near Pompano Beach.
The districts and the county's trauma managers had contested adding a fourth unit, saying it would
divert cases so much that existing trauma surgeons and crews could not stay sharp.
It just makes sense what the state did today," said G. Wil Trower, chief executive of the North
Broward Hospital District.
State guidelines based on medical studies say that large trauma centers should field at least 1,000
cases a year and smaller ones at least 500 a year to keep up their skills. Even without the fourth unit,
only Broward General gets enough cases to meet the state minimum.
But officials in west Broward said it makes no sense to have all the trauma skills in the east, when the
population has steadily grown west. Ambulances in the suburbs may drive 20 or even 25 minutes to
reach a trauma unit. Trauma patients, such as car crash victims, ideally should reach specialized care
within an hour.
If a fourth unit cannot be created, Fire Chief Pudney said, possible solutions might be to move a
trauma unit to Westside or to redo the transportation system to improve travel times.
Bob LaMendola can be reached at blamendola@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4526.
http://www.sunsentinel.com/templates/mise/printstory.jsp?slug=sfl%2Drxtraumal 7jan 17 1 /17/02