Pediatric Patient Transfer

 

VBMC TRAUMA CARE SERVICES GUIDELINE

TITLE: Pediatric Trauma Admission and Transfer Criteria
PURPOSE: Designate criteria for pediatric trauma admissions and transfers from VBMC.

GUIDELINE:

VBMC is a state designated level two trauma center and accepts all types of injured trauma patients. There should be no diversion of trauma from our trauma center without consultation of the trauma attending surgeon on call.

Trauma patients presenting to VBMC shall be classified as pediatric trauma patients, if 15 years of age or younger.

Critically injured pediatric patients requiring ICU admission should be admitted to the PICU with consultation with the pediatric intensive care service as outlined in “Trauma pediatric management” policy.

Pediatric patients 15 years of age or younger should be stabilized using standard ATLS protocol. Once initial evaluation has been completed and admission is indicated, the patient should be transferred to the pediatric surgery service at an accepting facility, per the transfer policy, at the discretion of the patients’ attending physician.

Prior to transfer, the patient must first be seen and evaluated by an attending physician. The attending must confirm the appropriateness of the transfer. After the patient is deemed stable for transfer, there must be an attending-to- attending communication between VBMC and the accepting service at the receiving hospital. The specialist requesting the transfer, if not the trauma surgery service, must also converse with representatives of the corresponding specialty service of the receiving hospital to ensure appropriate transfer of care. Prior to transfer digital copies of the pertinent pieces of the patient’s chart as well as diagnostic studies should be made to transfer with the patient. All transfers should be based on patient need with no regard to payer status. The receiving institution should be made aware that the Trauma Service at VBMC will accept the patient in return if desired once the specialty service necessitating the transfer is completed.

RESOURCES/REFERENCES:

Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient. American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma. 2014