About Emergency Department/Trauma
California’s emergency departments (EDs) provide critical health services to those experiencing trauma, injury, or acute medical conditions. EDs offer comprehensive care, do not require previous authorization, and are open 24/7 year-round. EDs are facing unprecedented patient volume, with a 42% increase in the past seven years. By improving access to care for primary and specialty services, emergency visits can be reduced. More focused state and federal policies will be required to reduce Californians’ health care risks and ensure equitable access to appropriate care levels before people need emergency care.
CHA Disaster Planning Conference Focuses on Lessons Learned
What’s happening: CHA held its annual Disaster Planning Conference in Pasadena on Sept. 10 and 11. Topics included best practices for communication and collaboration in an emergency, treatment of special pathogens, enhancing health care cybersecurity, and fundamentals of radiation protection.
What else to know: More than 500 people attended the conference, including emergency preparedness directors and coordinators; members of hospital disaster planning teams; compliance, nurse, and case managers; and quality and safety executives.
CHA Develops New APOT Resource Page for Members
What’s happening: CHA has created a new web page that houses all resources related to ambulance patient offload time (APOT) to assist hospitals with Assembly Bill (AB) 40 compliance.
What else to know: CHA plans to regularly update the web page with AB 40 regulation developments, news, advocacy materials, and information on educational events like the next Emergency Services Forum on May 5, 2025.
AB 40 Requires Hospitals to Submit APOT Reduction Protocol in 2024
What’s happening: All hospitals with emergency departments must submit an ambulance patient offload time (APOT) reduction protocol to the Emergency Medical Services Authority to be compliant under Assembly Bill (AB) 40 (2023).
What else to know: CHA recommends submitting the protocol by Sept. 1 directly through email to APOT@emsa.ca.gov.
CHA to Host Webinar on Buffer Zone Approach to Hospital Crowding
What’s happening: CHA will host a members-only webinar on The Buffer Zone: A Novel Approach to Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) Surge in the Era of Hospital Crowding on Aug. 26 from 10-11 a.m. (PT). Registration is open.
What else to know: In this session, Scott Goldberg, MD, MPH, medical director of emergency preparedness at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, will highlight the hospital’s experience with developing and implementing buffer zones as part of their institution’s MCI plans and highlight the lessons learned during the operationalization of their buffer zone plan.
Hospitals Can Now Apply for Funds to Treat Patients with Behavioral Health Needs
What’s happening: Following the March 2024 passage of CHA-supported Proposition 1, applications are now open for $4.4 billion in new Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) funding to support capital projects that expand the behavioral health services continuum.
What else to know: Hospitals can start the application process now for the first round of grants. Required pre-application consultation must be requested by Oct. 15, and applications are due by Dec. 13.
Critical Deadline Approaches for AB 40 Compliance
What’s happening: All hospitals with emergency departments must submit ambulance patient offload time (APOT) reduction protocols to the Emergency Medical Services Authority by Sept. 1.
The Buffer Zone: A Novel Approach to MCI Surge in the Era of Hospital Crowding
Creating immediate surge capacity for critically injured patients in a mass casualty incident (MCI) is critical in MCI response. However, the current era of hospital overcrowding and emergency department (ED) boarding has undermined the ability of the ED to create surge capacity. Brigham and Women’s Hospital has leveraged the buffer zone concept within their ED […]
CHA to Host Webinar on Preparing for Extreme Heat and Smoke Impact in Clinical Settings
What’s happening: CHA will host the members-only Preparing for Extreme Heat and Smoke Impact in Clinical Settings webinar on Aug. 19 at 1 p.m. (PT).
What else to know: The webinar addresses heat-related emergency response plans and protocols and leads into the 2024 Disaster Planning Conference on Sept. 10-11. Registration is open.
Hospitals Eligible to Receive Free Naloxone from DHCS
What’s happening: In 2018, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) established the Naloxone Distribution Project (NDP) to distribute naloxone — also referred to as “Narcan” — and fentanyl testing strips to key stakeholders free of charge.
What else to know: Hospital emergency departments are among those who can apply online to receive free naloxone and testing strips. Since the program’s inception, hospitals have received 332,000 naloxone testing kits and 188,000 fentanyl testing kits.