Abdominal Aneurysm:

Patients with an abdominal aneurysm should be accepted by the ED attending.  Once the transfer is coordinated the on-call vascular attending should be paged and advised of the transfer.  

When the patient is en-route back to SBUH and is approximately 10 minutes from arrival the same vascular attending should be notified of the patients impending arrival.

** Patients with thoracic and aortic aneurysms should be accepted under the THORACIC ANEURYSM guidelines.

Amputation - digits:

** This link  is for ADULTS  (patients > 17 y/o) ONLY.  The PEDS ORTHOPEDIC link should be used for patients 17 years old and younger.

The sending physician should be asked if their orthopedic physician has seen their patient.

If the sending hospital does not have orthopedic services then the ED Attending should be told to accept the patient.

If the sending hospital has an orthopedist on-call then they should be instructed to have their on-call orthopedist come in to see their patient.  If after seeing the patient that orthopedist would still like to transfer the patient then he or she should call here to transfer the patient.  At that time he or she will conferenced with the SBUH Orthopedic Attending and they can determine if transfer is appropriate.

Once an orthopedic patient is accepted for transfer the senior ortho resident should be notified of the transfer.

If the SBUH Orthopedic Attending hasn’t been involved in accepting the case then he or she should be notified of the transfer.

Aortic Aneurysms:  Patients with an aortic aneurysm should be accepted by the ED attending.  Once the transfer is coordinated, the Vascular Attending should be contacted to inform them of the transfer.  When the patient is en route back to SBUH and is approximately 10 minutes from arrival this same Vascular Attending should be notified of the patient's impending arrival.

Burn PatientsBurn patients should be accepted by the ED Attending and EMS will coordinate the transfer.  Once the transfer is coordinated, the Burn Attending on call should be notified about the transfer.

ENT PatientsIsolated ENT patients should not be accepted by the ED Attending.  At the direction of the ED Attending EMS will page the on call ENT Attending who will determine if they can accept the patient.

General Surgical PatientsFor patients with life threatening general surgical conditions the ED attending should accept the patient if the other hospital does not have a surgeon on call.  If the hospital has a surgeon on call then they must have their surgeon come in to see their patient and if they then want to transfer the patient that surgeon will call here and will be conferenced with our surgeon.  The two surgeons can then determine if transfer is appropriate.  Once the transfer is coordinated the SBUH Attending Surgeon should be contacted to inform them of the transfer.  When the patient is 10 minutes from arrival this Surgeon should be notified of the patient's impending arrival.

Interventional Neurosurgery  If Dr. Woo (interventional neurosurgery) accepts a patient in transfer EMS will immediately begin the transfer. We will attempt to get an inpatient bed (presuming it is appropriate that the patient goes to an inpatient bed) while the transport is in progress. If no bed is available the patient will be brought to the ED. EMS will notify the ED attending and the ED charge nurse that this type of transport is occurring.

Neurosurgical Patients

Patients with an acute stroke or a non-traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage should use the NEURO INTERVENTIONAL PAG unless told otherwise by Dr. Woo or Dr.Fiorella.
Isolated neurosurgical patients should be accepted by the ED attending from any  hospital regardless of the sending hospital's neurosurgical capability. This applies ONLY to hospitals in Suffolk County. The SBUH neurosurgeon must be consulted for transfer requests from hospitals outside of Suffolk County.
EMS will arrange for transfer of the patient.

The neurosurgical NP/PA should be notified of the pending transfer as soon as practical after the patient is accepted.
The SBUH neurosurgeon should not be paged unless the ED attending would like to discuss the patient’s condition or appropriateness of the transfer. 

ALL ACTIONS AND NOTIFICATIONS REQUIRED ABOVE MUST BE DOCUMENTED IN TMS AS THEY OCCUR. THE EMS SUPERVISOR MUST BE IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED OF ANY DEVIATION FROM THE ABOVE GUIDELINES.

For Stroke transfer protocols, click here:

Ophthalmology Patients Isolated eye injuries should not be accepted by the ED Attending.  At the direction of the ED Attending EMS will page the on call Ophthalmology Attending who will determine if they can accept the patient.

Orthopedic PatientsIsolated orthopedic patients can be accepted by the ED Attending if the sending hospital does not have orthopedic services.  Once accepted EMS will coordinate the transfer and the senior ortho resident on call should be notified about the transfer.  If a referring hospital has an orthopedist on call then they must have their on call orthopedist come in to see their patient and if they then want to transfer the patient that orthopedist will call here and will be conferenced with our orthopedist.  The two orthopedists can then determine if transfer is appropriate.

ST Elevation MI Patients:  Emergent ST Elevation MI patients should be accepted by the ED Attending and EMS will coordinate the transfer.  If the patient meets Code H criteria, as determined by the ED Attending, a Code H should be called ASAP (do not wait until the team arrives at the sending hospital to call the Code H.  (If the ETA with the patient is greater than 1 hour, the Code H should be delayed until the patient is 1 hour from arrival.)  The cardiology fellow should be notified about any emergent cardiac patient accepted either via the Code H system or via a direct page.

Trauma PatientsMultiple trauma patients should be accepted by the ED Attending and EMS will coordinate the transfer.  Once the transfer is coordinated the Trauma Attending on call should be notified about the transfer.  It is appropriate to call a Code T approximately 10 minutes prior to the patient's arrival if the patient meets Code T criteria.

Vascular PatientsFor patients with general surgical and vascular conditions which are life or limb threatening the ED attending should accept the patient and EMS will coordinate the transfer.  Once the transfer is coordinated the Surgical or Vascular Attending should be contacted to inform them of the transfer.  When the patient is en route back to SBUH and is approximately 10 minutes from arrival this same Surgical or Vascular Attending should be notified of the patient's impending arrival.