83-4,163.

Surgical procedures; medical treatment protocols.

The medical director shall develop and implement medical treatment protocols for common surgical procedures. In developing these protocols, the medical director shall ensure that the medical treatment protocols include:

(1) Provisions defining procedures that are considered to be major surgery;

(2) Provisions requiring that all inmates needing major surgery are referred to appropriate specialists and facilities outside of the department for that surgery;

(3) Provisions requiring the implementation of pain management measures within an appropriate time after the completion of surgical procedures;

(4) Provisions requiring that all decisions by the health care staff regarding whether or not surgery should be performed are based on a community standard of health care; and

(5) Provisions requiring the health care staff to carefully document the rationale for each of their decisions to resort to surgery or to refrain from surgery as a treatment option.