FL S1876

Reallocates trauma center funding from Department of Health Trauma Registry to Agency for Health Care Administration's hospital discharge data for calculating distribution of penalties from traffic violations to Level I, Level II, and pediatric trauma centers.

Establishes 18 trauma service areas (reduced from 19) with statutory limits on total trauma centers per area, capping most areas at 1-5 trauma centers, with maximum of 5 Level I/II/pediatric centers per service area and one stand-alone pediatric center maximum.

Creates Florida Trauma System Advisory Council by October 1, 2018, consisting of 12 Governor-appointed members including trauma surgeons, program managers, and representatives from hospital associations and emergency medical services.

Requires Department of Health to analyze state trauma system every 3 years using hospital discharge data and population growth, with analysis determining need for additional trauma centers based on high-risk patient volume and population growth exceeding statewide average by 15 percent.

Grandfathers trauma centers verified or provisionally approved before specified dates (December 15, 2017 and January 1, 2017-2018) as meeting application and operational requirements without exceeding statutory capacity limits, except for pediatric centers that must complete site review process.