Kendall Regional's Trauma Center Receives Long Term Approval

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) – The trauma center at Kendall Regional Medical Center has received long-term operation approval from the Florida Department of Health.

Kendall received what is known as "provisional" approval in 2011, allowing it to open the trauma center.

The Department of Health on notified Kendall of the more-permanent approval after a review to make sure the trauma center met requirements and standards. Proposals to open trauma centers by the HCA health-care chain, which includes Kendall Regional, have spawned a series of legal battles during the past two years.

In a challenge launched by hospitals in the Tampa Bay and Jacksonville areas, a state appeals court in 2012 found that the Department of Health had used an invalid rule in approving new trauma centers. That has spurred the department to undertake a process to draw up a new rule.

Last Thursday the department finished a series of nine workshops across the state and now will move toward crafting a draft rule.

The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.