J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  2006 Feb;17(1):51-57.

Are You Ready to Transport Your Seriously Ill Patient?

• Kim EC
• Cho YS
• Choi YH
• Chung HS
• Park IC
• Lee HS

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study is designed to evaluate the current situation of interhospital transports of critical ill patients requiring emergency care.
METHODS
Using a clinical prospective 162 interhospital transports of ill patients by ambulance were evaluated in 2 hospitals. Patients were divided into severe & mild to moderate group by modified-ESI. We evaluated the state of patients, vital sign, monitoring of patient's state, hospitalization or transportation. Data were collected by mean of comprehensive form filled by a physician at the receiving hospital.
RESULTS
The receiving hospital were notified prior to the transport in 57.4%. Pretransport information about the patients were adequate in 75% and no data in 9.9%. In 10.4% of the transports, the patients arrived at the receiving hospital in an agonized state. In 80.8% of the transports admitted and 7.4% of the patients were transfer to the other hospital.
CONCLUSION
It appears that there are no established guidelines for the emergency transport of critical ill patients in Korea.

Keyword

Patient transfer

MeSH Terms

Ambulances
Emergencies
Emergency Medical Services
Felodipine
Hospitalization
Humans
Korea
Patient Transfer
Prospective Studies
Transportation
Vital Signs
Felodipine