OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the reasons for pediatric emergency department (ED) transfers and the professional characteristics of transferring providers. METHODS: We performed a multicenter, cross-sectional survey of ED medical providers transferring patients younger than 18 years to 1 of 4 tertiary care children's hospitals. Referring providers completed surveys detailing the primary reasons for transfer and their medical training. RESULTS: The survey data were collected for 25 months, during which 641 medical providers completed 890 surveys, with an overall response rate of 25%. Most pediatric patients were seen by physicians (89.4%) with predominantly general emergency medicine training (64.2%). The median age of patients seen was 5.6 years. The 3 most common diagnoses were closed extremity fracture (12.2%), appendicitis (11.6%), and pneumonia (3.7%). The 3 most common reasons for transfer were need for medical/surgical subspecialist consultation (62.6%), admission to the inpatient unit (17.1%), and admission to the intensive care unit (6.5%). When asked about the need for supportive pediatric services, referring providers ranked pediatric subspecialty and pediatric inpatient unit availability as the highest. CONCLUSIONS: Most pediatric interfacility ED transfers are referred by general emergency medicine physicians who often transfer for inpatient admission or subspecialty consultation. Understanding the needs of the community-based ED providers is an important step to forming more collaborative efforts for regionalized pediatric emergency care.
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the reasons for pediatric emergency department (ED) transfers and the professional characteristics of transferring providers. METHODS: We performed a multicenter, cross-sectional survey of ED medical providers transferring patients younger than 18 years to 1 of 4 tertiary care children's hospitals. Referring providers completed surveys detailing the primary reasons for transfer and their medical training. RESULTS: The survey data were collected for 25 months, during which 641 medical providers completed 890 surveys, with an overall response rate of 25%. Most pediatric patients were seen by physicians (89.4%) with predominantly general emergency medicine training (64.2%). The median age of patients seen was 5.6 years. The 3 most common diagnoses were closed extremity fracture (12.2%), appendicitis (11.6%), and pneumonia (3.7%). The 3 most common reasons for transfer were need for medical/surgical subspecialist consultation (62.6%), admission to the inpatient unit (17.1%), and admission to the intensive care unit (6.5%). When asked about the need for supportive pediatric services, referring providers ranked pediatric subspecialty and pediatric inpatient unit availability as the highest. CONCLUSIONS: Most pediatric interfacility ED transfers are referred by general emergency medicine physicians who often transfer for inpatient admission or subspecialty consultation. Understanding the needs of the community-based ED providers is an important step to forming more collaborative efforts for regionalized pediatric emergency care.
Authors: Monica K Lieng; James P Marcin; Ilana S Sigal; Sarah C Haynes; Parul Dayal; Daniel J Tancredi; Marianne Gausche-Hill; Jamie L Mouzoon; Patrick S Romano; Jennifer L Rosenthal Journal: J Rural Health Date: 2021-03-18 Impact factor: 4.333
Authors: Jaime Jordan; Judith A Linden; Martine C Maculatis; H Gene Hern; Jeffrey I Schneider; Charlotte P Wills; John P Marshall; Alan Friedman; Lalena M Yarris Journal: AEM Educ Train Date: 2018-01-31
Authors: Tehnaz P Boyle; Charles G Macias; Susan Wu; Sara Holmstrom; Larissa L Truschel; Janice A Espinola; Ashley F Sullivan; Carlos A Camargo Journal: Hosp Pediatr Date: 2020-04-08