Interhospital Care Transitions: Coordinating Care Across Institutions

Interhospital transfers (IHT) are indispensable for providing timely access to specialized services, particularly for rural populations and high-acuity conditions such as trauma, stroke, and myocardial infarction. However, IHTs introduce substantial risks, including transport complications, care discontinuity, increased costs, prolonged hospitalization, and elevated mortality. Although Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services regulations establish baseline safeguards, coordination deficiencies persist. Centralized transfer centers, standardized documentation, and structured handoffs improve efficiency and safety, while health information exchange remains hindered by interoperability limitations. Enhanced coordination, standardization, data sharing, and care innovations are imperative to optimize outcomes.