Enhanced Efficiency in Pediatric Interfacility Transport Through a Centralized Hospital System Communication Center

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Emergency Medical Services
• Pediatric Critical Care

Background:

• Interfacility patient transport coordination is crucial for specialized pediatric care.
• Inefficiencies in communication can lead to delays and lost transport opportunities.
• Centralized communication hubs offer potential solutions for optimizing patient flow.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of a new centralized communication center on interfacility transport team response.
• To evaluate the effect on patient transport request handling and efficiency.
• To determine if the center enhanced overall transport capacity and coordination.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 12 months of data before and after the communication center's implementation.
• Analysis of transport requests, dispatch times, and physician acceptance times.
• Comparison of key performance indicators related to critical care transports.

Main Results:

• Total transports increased by 60% (1,200 to >1,900 annually).
• Team dispatch time decreased by 40% (57 to 34 minutes).
• Lost transport opportunities reduced by 59%, with improved call-to-physician acceptance times.

Conclusions:

• A centralized communication center enhanced efficiency and capacity for pediatric critical care transport.
• The integrated system improved real-time patient flow coordination across a multicampus hospital system.
• This model supports scalable expansion of specialized transport services.