Intrahospital transport (IHT) of critically ill patients is associated with significant complications, as it consists of the movement of a patient from one physical location within the hospital to another. Such transfers may be temporary, like obtaining diagnostic imaging, or for longer, such as transfers from the inpatient ward to the intensive care unit.
This is a critical transition in which complications or even death may occur. The benefits of IHT must outweigh the risks and must implement a triage-like process. Guidelines have been promulgated by the Society of Critical Care Medicine for the IHT for critically ill patients and French critical care societies more recently.
To reduce the overall risks to the patient, such transports should be well organized, efficient, and accompanied by the proper monitoring, equipment, and personnel. Protocols and guidelines for patient transfers should be utilized universally across all healthcare facilities. Care delivered during transport and at the site of diagnostic testing or procedure should be equivalent to the level of care provided in the originating environment.
Here are some tips to remember when transporting patients on the Visi Mobile off of their units:
- When a patient is being transported off of the unit, pause monitoring and leave the wrist monitor at the patient’s bedside table or dock in the charging bay until they return.
- This will prevent the clinician from receiving alarms when the patient is not on the unit.
- This will assist in loss prevention from equipment being removed that is alarming at the wrist monitor when a patient is off of the unit.
- Pause session when the patient is off of the unit.
- Chest sensor should be removed if it will interfere with imaging, i.e., Chest X-rays and chest CT scans.
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Sources:
- https://digitalstrategies.tuck.dartmouth.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Sotera_Wireless_6-0035.pdf
- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RBCI9lh04W7zkqi2-eamZytMJWcRWQFx/view
- Safety of intrahospital transport in ventilated critically ill patients: a multicenter cohort study*.
- Schwebel C, Clec'h C, Magne S, Minet C, Garrouste-Orgeas M, Bonadona A, Dumenil AS, Jamali S, Kallel H, Goldgran-Toledano D, Marcotte G, Azoulay E, Darmon M, Ruckly S, Souweine B, Timsit JF, OUTCOMEREA Study Group. Crit Care Med. 2013 Aug; 41(8):1919-28.
- The surgeon and the intensivist: reaching consensus in intensive care triage. Stawicki SP, Pryor JP, Hyams ES, Gupta R, Gracias VH, Schwab CW J Surg Educ. 2007 Sep-Oct; 64(5):289-93.