Prehospital care and interfacility transfer of trauma patients before reaching the emergency of a level-1 trauma care center.

Background: Management of trauma patients includes prevention, prehospital care, appropriate resuscitation at a hospital, definitive treatment, and rehabilitation. Timely and adequate care for a trauma patient is paramount, which can dramatically impact survival. This study was planned to assess the proportion of patients who failed to receive adequate prehospital care before reaching our institute. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in the trauma and emergency department of a level-1 trauma center in eastern India from February to April 2022. The demographic profile, vital parameters, injury, mode of transport, travel duration, referring hospital, and any interventions as per airway/breathing/circulation/hypothermia were collected. Results: The records of a hundred-two patients who were brought to the trauma and emergency department in the study period were reviewed. Road traffic accident involving two wheelers was the leading cause of injury. Eighty-three percent of the patients were referred from other health centers, of which 49 were referred from district headquarters hospitals. Only three patients out of 14 had been provided with an oropharyngeal airway for whom endotracheal intubation was indicated. Only one among the 41 patients needing Philadelphia collar actually received. Sixteen patients were provided supplemental oxygen out of the 35 for whom it was indicated. Out of 68 patients in whom intravenous cannulation and fluid administration were indicated, only 35 patients had received it. Out of 31 patients with fractures, none were provided immobilization. Conclusion: The care of the trauma patients with respect to airway, breathing, circulation, and fracture immobilization was found to be grossly inadequate, emphasizing the need of structured and protocol based prehospital trauma care.

Unit-to-unit transfer due to shortage of intensive care beds in Sweden 2015-2019 was associated with a lower risk of death but a longer intensive care stay compared to no transfer: a registry study.

BACKGROUND: Intensive care unit-to-unit transfer due to temporary shortage of beds is increasing in Sweden. Transportation induces practical hazards, and the change of health care provider may prolong the length of stay in intensive care. We previously showed that the risk of death at 90 days did not differ between patients transferred due to a shortage of beds and non-transferred patients with a similar burden of illness in a tertiary intensive care unit. The aim of this study was to widen the analysis to a nation-wide cohort of critically ill patients transferred to another intensive care unit in Sweden due to shortage of intensive care beds. METHODS: Retrospective comparison between capacity transferred and non-transferred patients, based on data from the Swedish Intensive Care Registry during a 5-year period before the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients with insufficient data entries or a recurring capacity transfer within 90 days were excluded. To assess the association between capacity transfer and death as well as intensive care stay within 90 days after ICU admission, logistic regression models with step-wise adjustment for SAPS3 score, primary ICD-10 ICU diagnosis and the number of days in the intensive care unit before transfer were applied. RESULTS: From 161,140 eligible intensive care admissions, 2912 capacity transfers were compared to 135,641 discharges or deaths in the intensive care unit. Ninety days after ICU admission, 28% of transferred and 21% of non-transferred patients were deceased. In the fully adjusted model, capacity transfer was associated with a lower risk of death within 90 days than no transfer; OR (95% CI) 0.71 (0.65-0.69) and the number of days spent in intensive care was longer: 12.4 [95% CI 12.2-12.5] vs 3.3 [3.3-3.3]. CONCLUSIONS: Intensive care unit-to-unit transfer due to shortage of bed capacity as compared to no transfer during a 5-year period preceding the COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden was associated with lower risk of death within 90 days but with longer stay in intensive care.

Effect of urgency level on prehospital emergency transport times: a natural experiment.

Accurate estimation of ambulance transport time from the scene of incident to arrival at the emergency department (ED) is important for effective resource management and emergency care system planning. Further, differences in transport times between different urgency levels highlight the benefits of ambulance transports with highest urgency level in a setting where ambulances are allowed to not follow standard traffic rules. The objective of the study is to compare ambulance urgency level on the differences in estimates of ambulance transport times generated by Google Maps and the observed transport times in a prehospital setting where emergency vehicles have their own traffic laws. The study was designed as a natural experiment and register study. Ambulance transports dispatched with different levels of urgency (Level A and B) were included in the Central Denmark Region (a mixed urban and rural area) from March 10 to June 11, 2021. Ambulance transports for highest urgency level were compared to lowest urgency level with Google Maps estimated transport times as reference. We analyzed 1981 highest urgency level and 8.958 lowest urgency level ambulance transports. Google Maps significantly overestimated the duration of transports operating at highest level of urgency (Level A) by 1.9 min/10 km (95% CI 1.8; 2.0) in average and 4.8 min/10 km (95% CI 3.9; 5.6) for the first driven 10 km. Contrary, Google Maps significantly underestimated the duration of transports operating at lowest level of urgency (Level B) by -1.8 min/10 km (95% CI -2.1; -1.5) in average and -4.4 min/10 km (95% CI -5.4; -3.5) for the first driven 10 km. Google Maps systematically overestimates transport times of ambulance transports driven with Level A, the highest level of urgency in a setting where ambulances are allowed to not follow standard traffic rules. The results highlight the benefit of using urgency Level A and provide valuable information for emergency care management.

Hypertension during transfer is associated with poor outcomes in unstable patients with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm.

OBJECTIVE: Limited data exist for optimal blood pressure (BP) management during transfer of patients with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA). This study evaluates the effects of hypertension and severe hypotension during interhospital transfers in a cohort of patients with rAAA in hemorrhagic shock. METHODS: We performed a retrospective, single-institution review of patients with rAAA transferred via air ambulance to a quaternary referral center for repair (2003-2019). Vitals were recorded every 5 minutes in transit. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP of ≥140 mm Hg. The primary cohort included patients with rAAA with hemorrhagic shock (≥1 episode of a systolic BP of <90 mm Hg) during transfer. The primary analysis compared those who experienced any hypertensive episode to those who did not. A secondary analysis evaluated those with either hypertension or severe hypotension <70 mm Hg. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. RESULTS: Detailed BP data were available for 271 patients, of which 125 (46.1%) had evidence of hemorrhagic shock. The mean age was 74.2 ± 9.1 years, 93 (74.4%) were male, and the median total transport time from helicopter dispatch to arrival at the treatment facility was 65 minutes (interquartile range, 46-79 minutes). Among the cohort with shock, 26.4% (n = 33) had at least one episode of hypertension. There were no significant differences in age, sex, comorbidities, AAA repair type, AAA anatomic location, fluid resuscitation volume, blood transfusion volume, or vasopressor administration between the hypertensive and nonhypertensive groups. Patients with hypertension more frequently received prehospital antihypertensives (15% vs 2%; P = .01) and pain medication (64% vs 24%; P < .001), and had longer transit times (36.3 minutes vs 26.0 minutes; P = .006). Episodes of hypertension were associated with significantly increased 30-day mortality on multivariable logistic regression (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 4.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.54-14.39; P = .007; 59.4% [n = 19] vs 40.2% [n = 37]; P = .01). Severe hypotension (46%; n = 57) was also associated with higher 30-day mortality (aOR, 2.82; 95% CI, 1.27-6.28; P = .01; 60% [n = 34] vs 32% [n = 22]; P = .01). Those with either hypertension or severe hypotension (54%; n = 66) also had an increased odds of mortality (aOR, 2.95; 95% CI, 1.08-8.11; P = .04; 58% [n = 38] vs 31% [n = 18]; P < .01). Level of hypertension, BP fluctuation, and timing of hypertension were not significantly associated with mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Hypertensive and severely hypotensive episodes during interhospital transfer were independently associated with increased 30-day mortality in patients with rAAA with shock. Hypertension should be avoided in these patients, but permissive hypotension approaches should also maintain systolic BPs above 70 mm Hg whenever possible.

Ambulance personnel use of coercion and use of safety belts in Norway.

BACKGROUND: Providing health care in a moving vehicle requires different considerations regarding safety than in other settings. Use of seatbelts are mandatory, and during ambulance transport patients are fastened to the stretcher with safety straps. However, patients who wriggle out of, or unfasten, their safety straps pose a threat to him/herself and escorting personnel in the ambulance compartment in case of an accident. To prevent harm, ambulance personnel sometimes restrain the patient or unfasten their own seatbelts to keep the patient safe on the stretcher. The prevalence of coercive measures, and the relationship between the use of mechanical restraints comparable to coercion and seatbelt use, are scarcely investigated. Use of coercion normally requires a specific statutory basis. However, coercive measures needed to ensure safety in a moving vehicle while providing healthcare is hardly discussed in the literature. The aim of this study is to explore the use of coercion in ambulance services, the use of safety belts among escorts in situations where they need to keep the patient calm during transportation, and to analyse the relationship between safety belt non-compliance and coercion in these situations. METHODS: This is a retrospective, cross-sectional study using a self-administered, online survey aiming to investigate the use of coercion and use of seatbelts during ambulance transport. Approximately 3,400 ambulance personnel from all 18 Health Trusts in Norway were invited to participate between Oct 2021 and Nov 2022. Descriptive analyses were used to describe the sample and the prevalence of findings, while multiple linear regressions were used to investigate associations. RESULTS: Altogether, 681 (20%) ambulance personnel completed the survey where 488 (72.4%) stated that they had used coercion during the last six months and 375 (55.7%) had experienced ambulance personnel or escorting personnel working with unfastened seatbelts during transport. The majority of respondents experienced coercion as being unpleasant and more negative feelings were associated with less use of seatbelts. CONCLUSIONS: Coercion seems to be used by ambulance personnel frequently. For the study participants, keeping the patient securely fastened was prioritized above escorting personnel's traffic safety, despite feeling uncomfortable doing so. Because coercive measures have negative consequences for patients, is associated with negative feelings for health personnel, and is not discussed ethically and legally in relation to the prehospital context, there is an urgent need for more research on the topic, and for legal preparatory work to address the unique perspectives of the prehospital context in which traffic safety also is an important factor.

Helmet continuous positive airway pressure for patients' transport using a single oxygen cylinder: A bench study.

BACKGROUND: Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is frequently used to treat patients with acute respiratory failure in out-of-hospital settings. Compared to a facemask, the helmet has many advantages for the patient but requires a minimum gas flow of 60 L/min to avoid CO2 rebreathing. The aim of the present bench study was to evaluate the performance of four Venturi devices, connected to a single oxygen cylinder, in delivering helmet-CPAP with clinically relevant gas flow, fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2), and positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) values. METHODS: Three double-inlet Venturi systems (EasyVent, Ventuplus, Compact-HAR) were connected to full 5-L oxygen cylinders using a double flowmeter, and their oxygen requirements to reach different setups (flow 60-80 L/min; FiO2 0.4-0.5-0.6, PEEP 7.5-10-12.5 cmH2O) were tested. The fourth Venturi system (O2-MAX) was directly attached to the tank, and the flow and FiO2 delivered at preset FiO2 0.3 and 0.6 were recorded. The runtime of the cylinder was assessed. RESULTS: EasyVent, Ventuplus, and O2-MAX were able to deliver helmet-CPAP with clinically useful setups when connected to a single oxygen cylinder, while Compact-HAR did not. The runtime of the cylinders ranged between 28 and 60 minutes according to the preset flow and FiO2. The delivered gas flow decreased slowly and linearly with the drop in cylinder pressure until its exhaustion. CONCLUSIONS: Helmet-CPAP might be provided using portable Venturi systems connected to an oxygen cylinder, but not all of them are able to deliver it. The use of a double flowmeter allows delivery of both high flow and high FiO2 when double-inlet Venturi systems are used. Due to the flow drop observed during the cylinder consumption, a flow >60 L/min should be set when helmet-CPAP is started. Considering the flow drop phenomenon, the estimated duration of the tank runtime can be used with a margin of safety when planning patient transport.

Comparison of hemodynamic consequences of hand ventilation versus machine ventilation for transportation of post-operative pediatric cardiac patients.

Learning Objective: Hemodynamic monitoring during in-hospital transport of intubated patients is vital; however, no prospective randomized trials have evaluated the hemodynamic consequences of hand versus machine ventilation during transport among pediatric patients' post-cardiac surgery. The authors hypothesized that manual ventilation after pediatric cardiac surgery would alter hemodynamic and arterial blood gas (ABG) parameters during transport compared to mechanical ventilation. Design: A prospective randomized trial. Setting: Tertiary cardiac care hospital. Participants: Pediatric cardiac surgery patients. Materials and Methods: One hundred intubated pediatric patients were randomized to hand or machine ventilation immediately post-cardiac surgery during transport from the operating room to the pediatric post-operative intensive care unit (PICU). Hemodynamic variables, including end-tidal CO2 (ETCO2), oxygen saturation, heart rate, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), peak airway pressure (Ppeak), and mean airway pressure (Pmean), were measured at origin, during transport, and at the destination. ABG was measured before and upon arrival in the PICU, and adverse events were recorded. The Chi-square test and independent t-test were used for comparison of categorical and continuous parameters, respectively. Results and Discussion: The mean transport time was comparable between hand-ventilated (5.77 ± 1.46 min) and machine-ventilated (5.96 ± 1.19 min) groups (P = 0.47). ETCO2 consistently dropped during transport and after shifting in the hand-ventilated group, with significantly higher ETCO2 excursion than in machine-ventilated patients (P < 0.05). SBP and DBP significantly decreased during transport (at 5 and 6 min intervals) and after shifting in hand-ventilated patients than in the other group (P < 0.05). Additionally, after shifting, a significant increase in Ppeak (P < 0.001), Pmean (P < 0.001), and pH (P < 0.001), and a decrease in pCO2 (P = 0.0072) was observed in hand-ventilated patients than machine-ventilated patients. No adverse event was noted during either mode of ventilation. Conclusion: Hand ventilation leads to more significant variation in ABG and hemodynamic parameters than machine ventilation in pediatric patients during transport post-cardiac surgery. Therefore, using a mechanical ventilator is the preferred method for transporting post-operative pediatric cardiac patients.

Performance of a Chemical Heat Blanket in Dry, Damp, and Wet Conditions Inside a Mountain Rescue Hypothermia Wrap.

INTRODUCTION: Casualties with accidental hypothermia are evacuated using multilayer wraps, typically including a chemical heat blanket (CHB), a vapor barrier, and an insulating outer bag. We investigated CHB performance against dry, damp, and wet fabric, in a multilayer wrap, in response to a case report indicating diminished performance when wet. METHODS: We wrapped a torso manikin in a base layer, CHB, vapor barrier, casualty bag, and vacuum mattress, recording CHB panel temperatures at intervals of up to 7 h. Experimental conditions were dry, damp, and wet clothing, with 2 blankets tested in each condition. We subsequently used a forward-looking infrared camera to assess whether the panels heated evenly and heat flux sensors to quantify heat transfer across 2 dry, 1 damp, and 1 wet fleece under CHB panels. RESULTS: Chemical heat blankets maintained heat output for >7 h inside the wraps. Median (IQR) panel steady state temperatures were 52°C (39-56°C) against dry fleece, 41°C (36-45°C) against damp fleece, and 30°C (29-33°C) against wet fleece. Peak panel temperature was 67°C. The heat flux results indicated that CHBs generated similar quantities of heat in dry and damp conditions, as the lower temperatures were compensated by more efficient transfer of heat across the moist clothing layer. Chemical heat blanket heat output was diminished in wet conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Rescuers should cut off saturated clothing in a protected environment before wrapping casualties, but damp clothing need not be removed. Because of the high peak temperatures recorded on the surfaces of CHBs, they should not be placed directly against skin, and compression straps should not be placed directly over CHBs.

Increased distance or time from a major trauma centre in South Australia is not associated with worse outcomes after moderate to severe traumatic brain injury.

OBJECTIVE: Considerations in traumatic brain injury (TBI) management include time to critical interventions and neurosurgical care, which can be influenced by the geographical location of injury. In Australia, these distances can be vast with varying degrees of first-responder experience. The present study aimed to evaluate the association that distance and/or time to a major trauma centre (MTC) had on patient outcomes with moderate to severe TBI. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from the Royal Adelaide Hospital's (RAH) Trauma Registry over a 3-year period (1 January 2018 to 31 December 2020). All patients with a moderate to severe TBI (Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] ≤13 and abbreviated injury score head of ≥2) were included. The association of distance and time to the RAH and patient outcomes were compared by calculating the odds ratio utilising a logistic regression model. RESULTS: A total of 378 patients were identified; of these, 226 met inclusion criteria and comprised our study cohort. Most patients were male (79%), injured in a major city (55%), with median age of 38 years old and median injury severity score (ISS) of 25. After controlling for age, ISS, ED GCS on arrival and pre-MTC intubation, increasing distance or time from injury site to the RAH was not shown to be associated with mortality or discharge destination in any of the models investigated. CONCLUSION: Our analysis revealed that increasing distance or time from injury site to a MTC for patients with moderate to severe TBI was not significantly associated with adverse patient outcomes.

Long-distance transfer of unwell neonates: A case series.

AIM: The Northern Territory Neonatal Emergency Transport Service (NETS NT) pilot was created in April 2018 to expedite the transfer of critically unwell neonates to specialised interstate centres. The aim of this paper is to describe long-distance retrievals undertaken during the first 3 years of operation of the service. METHODS: A case series is described comprising neonates requiring long-distance aeromedical transfer (>2500 km) by NETS NT between April 2018 and June 2021. Data were obtained from hospital and transport service documentation. This was supplemented by four semi-structured interviews with transport staff. RESULTS: Thirty neonates were transferred via NETS NT during the investigation period, including 19 transfers >2500 km. Of these, 18/19 (94.7%) required respiratory support, 8/19 (42.1%) were intubated and 4/19 (21.1%) required inotropic support. The average length of transport was 7.5 h (5.6-8.9). Twelve patients had in-flight documentation available. Eight required increased oxygen administration 8/12 (66.6%). The median change in FiO2 was an increase of 0.02 (-0.05 to 0.45). CONCLUSIONS: The NETS NT has been successfully established to transport high-risk neonates to interstate quaternary health services when required. Future recommendations for the service include ongoing implementation of systems and processes to strengthen all aspects of governance and operations using suitably adapted resources from established Australian retrievals services.

Inter-hospital transfer and clinical outcomes for people with COVID-19 admitted to intensive care units in Australia: an observational cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between inter-hospital transfer and in-hospital mortality among people with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) in Australia. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study; analysis of data collected for the Short Period Incidence Study of Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SPRINT-SARI) Australia study. SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: People with COVID-19 admitted to 63 ICUs, 1 January 2020 - 1 April 2022. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome: in-hospital mortality; secondary outcomes: ICU and hospital lengths of stay and frequency of selected complications. RESULTS: Of 5207 people with records in the SPRINT-SARI Australia database at 1 April 2022, 328 (6.3%) had been transferred between hospitals, 305 (93%) during the third pandemic wave. Compared with patients not transferred, their median age was lower (53 years; interquartile range [IQR], 45-61 years v 60 years; IQR, 46-70 years), their median body mass index higher (32.5 [IQR, 27.2-39.0] kg/m2 v 30.1 [IQR, 25.7-35.7] kg/m2 ), and fewer had received a COVID-19 vaccine (22% v 44.9%); their median APACHE II scores were similar (14.0; IQR, 12.0-18.0 v 14.0; IQR, 10.0-19.0). Bacterial pneumonia (64.7% v 29.0%) and bacteraemia (27% v 8%) were more frequent in transferred patients, as was the need for more intensive ICU interventions, including invasive mechanical ventilation (71.2% v 38.1%) and extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (26% v 1.7%). Crude ICU (19% v 14.9%) and in-hospital mortality (19% v 18.4%) were similar for patients who were or were not transferred; median lengths of ICU (20.0 [IQR, 11.2-40.3] days v 4.6 [IQR, 2.1-10.1] days) and hospital stay (29.7 [IQR, 18.1-49.6] days v 12.3 [IQR, 7.3-21.0] days) were longer for transferred patients. In the multivariable regression analysis, in-hospital mortality risk was lower for transferred patients (risk difference [RD], -5.0 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI] -10 to -0.03 percentage points), but not in the propensity score-adjusted analysis (RD, -3.4 [95% CI, -8.9 to 2.1] percentage points). CONCLUSIONS: Among people with COVID-19 admitted to ICUs, patients transferred from another hospital required more intense interventions and remained in hospital longer, but were not at greater risk of dying in hospital than the patients who were not transferred.

[Interhospital critical care transport]. / Interhospitaler Intensivtransport.

Critically ill patients in need of specialized diagnostic or therapeutic procedures, but are being cared for in a hospital without such equipment, have to be transferred to appropriate centers without discontinuation of current critical care (interhospital critical care transfer). These transfers are resource intensive, challenging, and require high logistical effort, which must be managed by a specialized and highly trained team, predeployment planning and efficient crew-resource management strategies. If planned adequately, interhospital critical care transfers can be performed safely without frequent adverse events. Beside routine interhospital critical care transfers, there are special missions (e.g., for patients in quarantine or supported by extracorporeal organ support) that might require adaption of the team composition or standard equipment. This article describes interhospital critical care transport missions including their different phases and special circumstances.

Prehospital Stroke Care Part 2: On-Scene Evaluation and Management by Emergency Medical Services Practitioners.

The prehospital phase is a critical component of delivering high-quality acute stroke care. This topical review discusses the current state of prehospital acute stroke screening and transport, as well as new and emerging advances in prehospital diagnosis and treatment of acute stroke. Topics include prehospital stroke screening, stroke severity screening, emerging technologies to aid in the identification and diagnosis of acute stroke in the prehospital setting, prenotification of receiving emergency departments, decision support for destination determination, and the capabilities and opportunities for prehospital stroke treatment in mobile stroke units. Further evidence-based guideline development and implementation of new technologies are critical for ongoing improvements in prehospital stroke care.

First Responder Virtual Reality Simulator to train and assess emergency personnel for mass casualty response.

As mass casualty incidents continue to escalate in the United States, we must improve frontline responder performance to increase the odds of victim survival. In this article, we describe the First Responder Virtual Reality Simulator, a high-fidelity, fully immersive, automated, programmable virtual reality (VR) simulation designed to train frontline responders to treat and triage victims of mass casualty incidents. First responder trainees don a wireless VR head-mounted display linked to a compatible desktop computer. Trainees see and hear autonomous, interactive victims who are programmed to simulate individuals with injuries consistent with an explosion in an underground space. Armed with a virtual medical kit, responders are tasked with triaging and treating the victims on the scene. The VR environment can be made more challenging by increasing the environmental chaos, adding patients, or increasing the acuity of patient injuries. The VR platform tracks and records their performance as they navigate the disaster scene. Output from the system provides feedback to participants on their performance. Eventually, we hope that the First Responder system will serve both as an effective replacement for expensive conventional training methods as well as a safe and efficient platform for research on current triage protocols.

Optimization of a Patient Distribution Framework: Second Wave COVID-19 Preparedness and Challenges in the Amsterdam Region.

To meet surge capacity and to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients, a regional crisis task force was established during the first pandemic wave to coordinate the even distribution of COVID-19 patients in the Amsterdam region. Based on a preexisting regional management framework for acute care, this task force was led by physicians experienced in managing mass casualty incidents. A collaborative framework consisting of the regional task force, the national task force, and the region's hospital crisis coordinators facilitated intraregional and interregional patient transfers. After hospital admission rates declined following the first COVID-19 wave, a window of opportunity enabled the task forces to create, standardize, and optimize their patient transfer processes before a potential second wave commenced. Improvement was prioritized according to 3 crucial pillars: process standardization, implementation of new strategies, and continuous evaluation of the decision tree. Implementing the novel "fair share" model as a straightforward patient distribution directive supported the regional task force's decisionmaking. Standardization of the digital patient transfer registration process contributed to a uniform, structured system in which every patient transfer was verifiable on intraregional and interregional levels. Furthermore, the regional task force team was optimized and evaluation meetings were standardized. Lines of communication were enhanced, resulting in increased situational awareness among all stakeholders that indirectly provided a safety net and an improved integral framework for managing COVID-19 care capacities. In this article, we describe enhancements to a patient transfer framework that can serve as an exemplary system to meet surge capacity demands during current and future pandemics.

[Interhospital critical care transport]. / Interhospitaler Intensivtransport.

Critically ill patients in need of specialized diagnostic or therapeutic procedures, but are being cared for in a hospital without such equipment, have to be transferred to appropriate centers without discontinuation of current critical care (interhospital critical care transfer). These transfers are resource intensive, challenging, and require high logistical effort, which must be managed by a specialized and highly trained team, predeployment planning and efficient crew-resource management strategies. If planned adequately, interhospital critical care transfers can be performed safely without frequent adverse events. Beside routine interhospital critical care transfers, there are special missions (e.g., for patients in quarantine or supported by extracorporeal organ support) that might require adaption of the team composition or standard equipment. This article describes interhospital critical care transport missions including their different phases and special circumstances.