Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rdxmf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T01:22:39.118Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

An Educational Measure to Significantly Increase Critical Knowledge Regarding Interfacility Patient Transfers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 March 2015

Torben K. Becker ,
James F. Skiba  and
Cemal B. Sozener
Torben K. Becker*
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MichiganUSA
James F. Skiba
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MichiganUSA Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MinnesotaUSA
Cemal B. Sozener
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MichiganUSA
*
Correspondence: Torben K. Becker, MD, PhD Department of Emergency Medicine University of Michigan 1500 East Medical Center Drive, B1-354TC Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-0303 USA. E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background

Patient transfers among medical facilities are high-risk situations. Despite this, there is very little training of physicians regarding the medical and legal aspects of transport medicine.

Objectives

To examine the effects of a one hour, educational intervention on Emergency Medicine (EM) residents’ and Critical Care (CC) fellows’ knowledge regarding the medical and legal aspects of interfacility patient transfers.

Methods

Prior to the intervention, physician knowledge regarding 12 key concepts in patient transfer was assessed using a pre-test instrument. A one hour, interactive, educational session followed immediately thereafter. Following the intervention, a post-intervention test was given between two and four weeks after delivery. Participants were also asked to describe any prior transportation-medicine-related education, their opinions as they relate to the relevance of the topic, and their comfort levels with patient transfers before and after the intervention.

Results

Only a minority of participants had received any formal training in patient transfers prior to the intervention, despite dealing with patient transfers on a frequent, often daily, basis. Both groups improved in several categories on the post-intervention test. They reported improved comfort levels with the medicolegal aspects of interfacility patient transfers after the intervention and felt well-prepared to manage transfers in their daily practice.

Conclusion

A one hour, educational intervention objectively increased EM and CC physician trainees’ understanding of some of the medicolegal aspects of interfacility patient transfers. The study demonstrated a lack of previous training on this important topic and improved levels of comfort with transfers after study participation.

BeckerTK, SkibaJF, SozenerCB. An Educational Measure to Significantly Increase Critical Knowledge Regarding Interfacility Patient Transfers. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(3):1-5

Keywords

critical careEMTALApatient transfertransportation medicine
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 30 , Supplement 3 , June 2015 , pp. 244 - 248
Copyright
© World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. 42 U.S. Code § 1395dd - Examination and treatment for emergency medical conditions and women in labor. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/1395dd. Accessed September 17, 2014.Google Scholar
2. Frequently Asked Questions about the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA). http://www.emtala.com/faq.htm. Accessed September 17, 2014.Google Scholar
3. Perina, DG, Brunett, CP, Caro, DA, et al. The 2011 model of the clinical practice of emergency medicine. Acad Emerg Med. 2012;19(7):e19-40.Google Scholar
4. Counselman, FL, Borenstein, MA, Chisholm, CD, et al. The 2013 model of the clinical practice of emergency medicine. Acad Emerg Med. 2014;21(5):574-598.Google Scholar
5. Washtenaw/Livingston MCA Protocols. http://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/departments/medical_control_authority/washtenaw-livingston-mca-protocols-effective-april-4-2011. Accessed September 17, 2014.Google Scholar
6. Dolmans, D, Schmidt, H. The advantages of problem-based curricula. Postgrad Med J. 1996;72(851):535-538.Google Scholar
7. Kruger, J, Dunning, D. Unskilled and unaware of it: how difficulties in recognizing one’s own incompetence lead to inflated self-assessments. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1999;77(6):1121-1134.Google Scholar
8. McCallion, T. Healthcare reform seen as unparalleled opportunity for EMS. JEMS. 2012;37(10):42-44.Google Scholar
9. Warren, J, Fromm, RE Jr., Orr, RA, Rotello, LC, Horst, HM. Guidelines for the inter- and intrahospital transport of critically ill patients. Crit Care Med. 2004;32(1):256-262.Google Scholar
10. American College of Emergency Physicians. Interfacility transportation of the critical care patient and its medical direction. Policy statement. Ann Emerg Med. 2012;60(5):677.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11. American College of Emergency Physicians. Guidelines for transfer of patients. American College of Emergency Physicians. Ann Emerg Med. 1985;14(12):1221-1222.Google Scholar
12. American College of Emergency Physicians. Principles of appropriate patient transfer. Ann Emerg Med. 1990;19(3):337-338.Google Scholar
13. Olson, CM, Jastremski, MS, Vilogi, JP, Madden, CM, Beney, KM. Stabilization of patients prior to interhospital transfer. Am J Emerg Med. 1987;5(1):33-39.Google Scholar
14. Uusaro, A, Parviainen, I, Takala, J, Ruokonen, E. Safe long-distance interhospital ground transfer of critically ill patients with acute severe unstable respiratory and circulatory failure. Intensive Care Med. 2002;28(8):1122-1125.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15. Singh, JM, MacDonald, RD, Ahghari, M. Critical events during land-based interfacility transport. Ann Emerg Med. 2014;64(1):9-15.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16. Flabouris, A, Runciman, WB, Levings, B. Incidents during out-of-hospital patient transportation. Anaesth Intensive Care. 2006;34(2):228-236.Google Scholar
17. Nacht, J, Macht, M, Ginde, AA. Interhospital transfers from US emergency departments: implications for resource utilization, patient safety, and regionalization. Acad Emerg Med. 2013;20(9):888-893.Google Scholar
18. Li, J, Monuteaux, MC, Bachur, RG. Interfacility transfers of noncritically ill children to academic pediatric emergency departments. Pediatrics. 2012;130(1):83-92.Google Scholar
19. Burton, SJ, Sudweeks, RR, Merrill, PF, Wood, B. How to Prepare Better Multiple-Choice Test Items: Guidelines for University Faculty. Provo, Utah USA: Brigham Young University Testing Services; 1991.Google Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Becker supplementary material

Becker supplementary material 1

Download Becker supplementary material(File)
File 26.5 KB
Supplementary material: File

Becker supplementary material

Becker supplementary material 2

Download Becker supplementary material(File)
File 25.8 KB