• Scott M Newton and Maryann Fralic.
• Johns Hopkins University, School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA; Johns Hopkins Hospital, Lifeline Critical Care Transport Program, Baltimore, MD, USA. Electronic address: snewton5@jhmi.edu.
• Air Med. J. 2015 Jul 1; 34 (4): 207-12.

ObjectiveTimely access to advanced and specialist treatment often requires rapid interhospital transfer of patients from community hospitals to tertiary care centers. Transfer systems are variable in structure and process and are described in the literature as being fragmented, complex, and difficult to navigate.MethodsNonparticipant observation at 10 tertiary care transfer systems.ResultsIdentified core components (ie, primary transfer system answering point, bed management coordination, and transport team dispatch) are essential elements of an interhospital tertiary care transfer center.ConclusionThe Interhospital Transfer Center Model provides a useful framework to guide the design, implementation, and evaluation of interhospital transfer systems.Copyright © 2015 Air Medical Journal Associates. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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