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Interfacility Operations

Gold Cross Interfacility Transport Standard Operating Procedures

Dispatch Call-Intake Process 1-888-690-1211

Evaluation Transfer
Address (confirm/repeat)

Caller name

Phone number (confirm/repeat)

Tell me exactly what happened?

Are you with the patient now?

How old is the patient?

Is the patient male or female?

Is the patient awake?

Is the patient breathing?

Has the patient been seen by a health care professional in the last two hours?

Will the crew need to administer or monitor any medications?

Will any special equipment be necessary?

Will additional personnel be necessary?

Address (confirm/repeat)

Caller name

Phone number (confirm/repeat)

Medical reason for transport?

How old is the patient?

Is the patient male or female?

Will the crew need to administer or monitor any medications?

Will any special equipment be necessary?

Will additional personnel be necessary?

When would you like this transfer scheduled?

What’s the patient’s name?

What’s the name of the referring doctor?

Where are we transporting this patient?

Crew Arrival Expectations

You may expect our crews to do the following:

  1. Bring in all necessary equipment 
    • Stretcher, oxygen, drugs, monitor, etc.
  2. Make contact with the sending facility staff (RN, MD, etc.) and receive report
    • It is ideal to have RN certification or higher available to transfer patient care and provide a report. For critical cases, please be available to transfer care immediately. Requested information in report:
      • Patient demographics
      • Chief complaint
      • Pertinent medical history (including any advanced directives)
      • Current medications
      • Allergies
      • Current vital signs (including level of consciousness)
      • Recent treatments administered
      • Ongoing concerns
      • Relevant test results or paperwork to transfer (EMTALA, PCS, DNR, etc.)
      • Orders for care while en route
      • Intended receiving facility
  3. Make contact with the patient and perform initial assessment
    • Initial assessments include:
      • General impression
      • ABC’s
      • Mental status
      • Determine mechanism of injury or nature of illness
      • Full body assessment (when indicated)
      • Vital signs
  4. Request any additional resources
    • Initial resources may include
      • ALS support
      • Additional personnel
      • Lifting assistance
      • Bariatric equipment
  5. Stabilize the patient if needed
    • Before initiating transport, we must ensure the patient is stable enough to tolerate the transfer. Limited environment of an ambulance inherently reduces available interventions and personnel. Our goal is to optimize patient stability before transport to minimize the risk of deterioration en route.
  6. Obtain and verify any order for care while en route
    • Orders may include:
      • Ventilator settings
      • Pump settings
      • Medications to be administered
  7. Address any family needs or concerns
  8. Initiate transport in a timely manner
    • Critical cases: goal of <10min on scene
  9. Contact receiving facility by radio/phone with report
    • Reporting information should include
      • Unit identification
      • Patient demographics
      • Chief complaint
      • Pertinent medical history
      • Mental status
      • Vital signs
      • Treatments provided
      • Estimated time of arrival
  10. Arrive at the receiving facility and transfer patient care to RN or higher-level
  11. Obtain any necessary signatures and information for documentation