Re-envisioning interhospital transfer: A qualitative study exploring alternatives to transfer

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Patient Transfer Logistics
• Clinical Operations

Background:

• Interhospital transfer (IHT) is crucial for specialized care but faces capacity challenges.
• There is a growing need to explore alternatives to IHT due to hospital pressures.
• Re-envisioning IHT requires considering alternatives to traditional patient transfers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore potential alternatives to interhospital transfer (IHT).
• To identify barriers to the implementation of alternative care modalities.
• To inform the development of new care models for IHT.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative focus group study with diverse stakeholders.
• Inclusion of patient/family representatives, clinicians, and hospital leadership.
• Thematic analysis of data from 7 focus groups across 13 hospitals.

Main Results:

• Identified clinically appropriate alternatives to IHT, including enhanced transferring hospital support and ambulatory care options.
• Explored patient and organizational risks and benefits associated with alternatives.
• Revealed barriers such as clinician reluctance, inadequate telehealth infrastructure, and limited outpatient capacity.

Conclusions:

• Viable alternatives to IHT exist, offering potential solutions to capacity pressures.
• Barriers to implementing these alternatives require targeted interventions.
• Insights support the development of innovative care models to optimize IHT management.