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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: tbeckermd@gmail.com
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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 

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