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ER Patient Transfer Procedures

Emergency rooms (ER) in hospitals are designed to treat patients but they are not equipped to provide extended care services. For this reason, patients seen in the ER may need to be transferred if their condition is too serious for them to go home after receiving treatment. Patients seen in the ER may require hospital admission or transfer to another facility.

  1. Reasons for Transfer

    • Emergency departments vary from hospital to hospital. The hospital’s ability to treat a patient is determined by the resources available at each facility. If a patient meets certain requirements which are determined by each emergency department he may require transfer to a different facility. Patients with certain conditions may require transfer to a facility which specializes in that condition. Patients who require further treatment will be admitted to the hospital and transferred to the appropriate floor. Patients who came from a nursing home or rehabilitation center may be transferred back to their facility after receiving treatment in the ER.

    Hospital Admission

    • Patients who are admitted into the hospital will be transferred to their room as soon as it becomes available. Doctors will write orders for the patient to be admitted. A staff member will receive the transfer orders from the doctor, prepare, and transfer the patient to the appropriate floor. The patient’s belongings will be gathered up and taken with the patient. The patient’s chart will also be transported with the patient. Once on the floor, the patient will be transferred to the hospital bed in the room.

    Specialty Transfers

    • Patients with certain conditions or injuries who are brought into an ER may need to be treated by facilities which specialize in that particular condition/injury. Burn patients whose injuries are severe may require transfer to a burn center. Trauma patients may require transfer to a trauma center. If the patient is initially transported to an ER that does not have the resources the patient requires, she will be transferred to a facility which can provide that treatment. The ER doctor will write transfer orders and an ambulance will be contacted for transport.

    Transferring Patient

    • When patients get transferred to other facilities certain procedures are followed. The ER doctor will write a transfer order. An ambulance company will be called and transport arrangements will be made. The ambulance will arrive at the ER and the patient’s chart and all necessary paperwork will be given to the ambulance crew. The ambulance crew will move the patient onto the cot and the patient belongings will be gathered and transported with the patient. The ambulance will take the patient to the chosen facility. Once at the facility, the patient will be moved to a bed, his belongings will be placed in the room, and the paperwork will be given to the facility staff.

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