TRANSFERRING + TRANSPORTING PATIENTS
is a COMPLEX PROCESS with many steps to coordinate.
As a REFERRING HOSPITAL, staff get tied up making multiple phone calls to
obtain an accepting facility + determine ambulance options when
trying to transfer + transport critical patients to time-limited services at another facility, which causes
PATIENT DETERIORATION + EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT THROUGHPUT BACK-UP.
As a RECEIVING, SPECIALTY CENTER HOSPITAL, services are available,
comprehensive stroke + interventional cardiology + neonatal + trauma + cardiothoracic + more,
but your CURRENT PATHWAY TO ACCEPTING PATIENTS IS A BARRIER.
In most EMS SYSTEMS, AIR + GROUND INTEGRATION is underdeveloped.
Air ambulances are typically underutilized or overutilized because of process limitations.
Ground ambulances + fire departments rely on air medical, however delays from
poorly integrated dispatch systems + EMS performance standard discrepancies
IMPEDES A SUCCESSFUL + SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP OF AIR + GROUND.
Receiving Hospital Challenges
MISSED TRANSPORTS + ADMISSIONS INTO YOUR FACILITY
- You offer specialized treatment + service lines, but sending facilities do not know about them
- Disconnect between which service lines your transfer center accepts + doesn't accept, which creates confusion for your referring facilities + physicians
- You have no way of identifying where you are leaking patients + what throughput issues are causing missed admissions
- Referring hospitals + physicians don't call to transfer a patient because your process is not easy + quick
- Lack of transfer agreements to direct transfers in
- Staffing + keeping specialized physicians
- Physician to physician relationships + connections
- Minimal or no outreach marketing + brand recognition
- Patient leakage out of network + loss of admissions to other health systems
- Sending hospitals don't think of you as their number one choice for calling when transfer is needed
Sending Hospital Challenges
DELAYS IN TRANSFERRING PATIENTS OUT + OFFLOAD DELAYS
- Clinical staff preoccupied making unnecessary, multiple phone calls, which creates a chain reaction = patient flow backed-up from nurses/physicians not able to assess/treat other patients in the department + ambulance offload delays + upset patients/families + negative satisfaction scores + bad clinical outcomes + unnecessary diagnostic tests + increased avoidable costs
- Not knowing what specialty services are offered at which receiving hospitals
- Not having transfer agreements in place
- Not knowing the level of care differences between ground ambulance BLS + ALS + CCT nurse-staffed + air ambulance
- Not knowing when + how to use air medical
- Confusion about who arranges transport, referring or receiving + when to call
- Determining which patients to transfer + where to send them + how to call each hospital for patient acceptance + how to transport them
What Success Looks Like
Sending Hospitals + Health Systems
When a critical patient arrives, you have a systematic algorithm in place to immediately decide if interfacility transfer is required + which hospital to call (based on knowing their specialty services available) + how to call for acceptance + what type of ambulance to call + who will call to arrange transport. You have specific + measurable transfer benchmarks. Your community continues to seek care at your hospital, even if you don't have certain specialty services, because you offer rapid access to those services. Your patients + families are LOYAL TO YOUR HOSPITAL + HEALTH SYSTEM.
Transfer Centers + Receiving Hospitals
You have a clearly defined funnel that makes accepting patient transfers easy + quick. Protocols are in place for each service line transfer request. Your transfer CQI program provides data to analyze + improve key indicators, such as missed requests + service line specifics + patient leakage + top referring physicians + more. Your time-saving, accessible intake process creates a positive experience for your referring facilities + physicians. Your customers remember how efficient + helpful you made their experience. You have converted MORE REFERRALS + REVENUE.
Ambulance Transport + Emergency Medical Services
Your intake and dispatch process is fast + friendly + helpful. You accurately quote and meet your ETA's. You serve your requesters with empathy + urgency. You meet hospital + EMS performance standards. Hospitals + first responders know what type of ambulance they need + when to use air medical. Requesters want to use your service because you create a heartfelt, memorable experience for their patients + families - who perceive your ambulances + crews are part of their business. Your service delivery has transformed air and ground ambulance optimization + expanded transport agreements + enhanced EMS integration + INCREASED REQUESTS AND TRANSPORTS.