A consensus to determine the ideal critical care transfer bag

Area of Science:

• Healthcare logistics
• Patient safety protocols
• Critical care medicine

Background:

• Critical care transfers involve inherent risks due to unfamiliarity with the environment, processes, and equipment.
• The North West London Critical Care Network aimed to enhance patient safety during transfers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a standardized ideal transfer bag and its contents for critical care transfers.
• To improve patient safety by reducing risks associated with inter-facility transfers.

Main Methods:

• A modified Delphi survey with four rounds was used to create a condensed and clinically tested content list.
• An expert panel designed the transfer bag based on agreed principles.
• The prototype bag underwent testing over 50 clinical transfers with subsequent design adjustments.

Main Results:

• A consensus was reached on the essential contents for a critical care transfer bag.
• The prototype bag's design was refined based on practical clinical feedback and usage.
• The standardized bag was successfully introduced across the network.

Conclusions:

• A standardized critical care transfer bag has been successfully implemented within the network.
• The methodology used can be replicated for other healthcare regions.
• The developed transfer bag is available for adoption or adaptation by clinicians in other regions.