(a) With the advice of and after approval of the council, the board may adopt rules for verification and certification of trauma or health care center status which assign level designations based on resources available within the facility. Rules shall be based upon national guidelines, including, but not limited to, those established by the American College of Surgeons, the Joint Commission of Accreditation of Health Care Organizations, in Hospital and Pre-hospital Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient, and any published appendices thereto. Rules specific to rural and urban areas shall be developed and adopted by rule of the board.

(b) Any medical facility that desires to be a designated trauma or other health care center shall request a designation from the department whereby the medical facility agrees to maintain a level of commitment and resources sufficient to meet the responsibilities and standards required by the rules promulgated pursuant to this chapter. The board shall determine by rule the manner and form of such requests and the standards for review of such requests. Any medical facility that meets such standards shall be certified by the department and shall be included in the trauma or other health system. The department may revoke, suspend, or modify a designation if it determines that the medical facility is substantially out of compliance with standards and it has refused or been unable to comply after a reasonable period of time has elapsed. Any medical facility may challenge the board's designation, denial, revocation, suspension, or modification of its trauma center or other health care centers designation pursuant to the contested case provisions of the Alabama Administrative Procedure Act and rules of the board.

(c) No medical facility shall hold itself out to the public as a trauma or other health care center unless it is designated as such by the department.