Development of a Protocol for Cardiac Referral Transport Requests at a Pediatric Academic Center

Abstract

Background: The process of triaging potential admissions at a busy academic center is logistically complex. Patients can originate from multiple sources including internal (emergency center, operating room, inpatient floor) and external (scene, non-pediatric facility, pediatric facility, colleague). The high number of physicians involved in accepting patients to the cardiac ICU or cardiology service introduces variability to the process and places undue stress on the system. Furthermore, the transport team can be strained when physicians unfamiliar with transport medicine physiology and logistics take lead on medical control for incoming patients. The aim …