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Delaware Healthcare Association Launches Interagency Patient Transfer Form Pilot Program


03/14/2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 14, 2019
Contact:

Christina Crooks Bryan
(302) 674-2853
christina@deha.org
 

Delaware Healthcare Association Launches Interagency Patient Transfer Form Pilot Program
Program Aims to Improve Patient Experience With More Effective Transfers 
 
(DOVER, DE – March 14, 2019) Today, the Delaware Healthcare Association (DHA) announced the launch of its new Interagency Transfer Form Pilot Program that aims to improve the communication process during patient transfer between hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Interagency Transfer Forms were first developed over forty years ago for use when transferring patients/residents from one healthcare facility to another, including between hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. This updated form aims to ensure relevant critical information to ensure patient safety moves with the patient as well as reduce delays in patient transfers. To improve the current system, DHA organized a local workgroup consisting of representatives from care settings all across Delaware to update the Interagency Form used for patients during transfer to the Emergency Room and is now planning to pilot the new form.

“The Interagency Patient Transfer Form Pilot Program will improve communication between clinicians during patient transition, creating a more effective patient transfer system,” said Megan Williams, DNP, FNP-C,Vice President for the Delaware Healthcare Association. “Delaware hospitals are continuously working to improve safety and enhance patient experience, and this program is an important step toward achieving these goals.”
 
The workgroup completed the “Emergent” version of the Interagency Patient Transfer Form and approved the pilot program in January 2019. The form includes important medical documentation of the patient to be transferred, including code status, allergies and special precautions. The form also requires documentation from the transferring facility detailing capacity to provide the appropriate follow up treatment for a patient, such as the administration of iv fluids, imaging, and laboratory testing. The program is being launched this week among Delaware hospitals and post-acute care facilities and goals include: (1) Meeting the state requirement that the form be used with EVERY patent, during EVERY transfer; (2) Refining form design and information to optimize care during transfers between facilities; (3) Full implementation and utilization of the new form that is user friendly and best serves the patient during transitions across care settings by summer 2019.
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About the Delaware Healthcare Association 
The Delaware Healthcare Association (DHA) was formed in 1967 to assist Delaware hospitals in working on issues concerning health care and the hospital industry. DHA is a statewide trade and membership services organization that serves as a leader in the promotion of effective change in health services through collaboration and consensus building on health care issues at the State and Federal levels. DHA’s vision is to be the leading and respected voice for hospitals and health care delivery systems in Delaware working together to deliver compassionate, accessible, high quality, financially sustainable health care to the patients and communities they serve. DHA’s mission is to provide policy and advocacy leadership in creating an excellent environment for enabling every Delawarean to be as healthy as they can be.
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