Measuring performance of night-time interfacility transport service

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Emergency Medicine
• Patient Transport Logistics

Background:

• Healthcare system reforms necessitate service reorganizations, potentially limiting 24-hour hospital services.
• This study addresses the operational aspects of interfacility patient transfers during night hours.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety, speed, and performance of night-time interfacility transports.
• To analyze the outcomes of patient transfers from Alice Ho Miu Ling Hospital's emergency department.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 73 interfacility transports from January 2008 to December 2010.
• Focus on in-patients from non-emergency wards requiring night-time transfer.
• Assessment of en-route physiological changes, acceptance, and mobilization times.

Main Results:

• Majority of transfers involved neurosurgical (29%) or surgical (46%) emergencies.
• 4% of cases experienced en-route physiological deterioration.
• Average acceptance time was 8 minutes, with team mobilization averaging 13 minutes; total service time ranged from 40 to 115 minutes.

Conclusions:

• En-route adverse events during night-time interfacility transports are not uncommon.
• A specialized transport team can improve the safety and effectiveness of patient transfers.
• Findings inform strategies for optimizing emergency department logistics and patient care coordination.