Patient Transfer Center

  Transfer Center Services 

  1. Ground ambulance: BLS (Basic Life Support), ALS (Advanced Life Support), CCT (Critical Care Transport)
  2. Air ambulance: fixed wing and helicopter
  3. Specialty transport: IABP (Intra Aortic Balloon Pump), LVAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device), Critical Care and Trauma
"One Phone Call" Advantage   To access Stanford's Hospital & Clinics (SHC) complete line of Specialty inpatient services, the physician need only call the Stanford Transfer Center. Our Communication Specialist will request a transfer to Stanford Hospital & Clinics and ask for the following information:

  Transfer Center Process at SHC

  1. A hospital representative or physician calls the Transfer Center expressing interest in transferring a patient to Stanford Hospital & Clinics.
  2. The Communications Specialist at SHC Communications Center will locate the appropriate SHC physician and facilitate a recorded conference call between the referring and accepting doctors to determine a preliminary clinical evaluation.
  3. Admission of emergent patients accepted by a physician will be facilitated into SHC with the assistance of the Transfer Center nurse. The Transfer Center policies and guidelines are designed to adhere to EMTALA regulations and to facilitate the request in the fastest manner possible.
Nonemergent patients, once accepted by a physician, will be evaluated by a registered nurse in the Transfer Center (TCRN) to screen medical necessity and benefit to the patient. The TCRN will be working with the sending facility to access the following information: Once a patient has been cleared by the Transfer Center, an inpatient hospital bed with the appropriate level of care will be secured by arrangement through the in-house nursing supervisor at SHC. A final decision on acceptance will be based on overall capacity, ICU census, OR cases, trauma, other pending transfers, and in some cases, physician preferences.   Mode of transport to SHC can be arranged once variables such as distance, level of care and the need for specialized team members and equipment are identified. Every attempt will be made to facilitate your request and accommodate the patient.

Immediate Response by Specialized Teams

Mode of transport is determined by sending physician request and can be adjusted based on patient acuity.  When Stanford's medical team of specialized nurses is asked to respond, either by ground or by air ambulance, Stanford is extending its state-of-the-art clinical capabilities. Our specialized critical care teams are supported by patient care protocols derived from evidence-based medicine, and overseen by a board certified emergency medicine attending physician. This assures the physician, and family, that the immediate care will provided the best possible outcome.   Remember, each nonemergent transfer is individually evaluated. However, demands can exceed capacity. Whenever possible, Stanford Transfer Center will offer guidance in finding a suitable alternative if we are unable to accept a request for transfer. 



STANFORD PATIENT TRANSFER CENTER
300 Pasteur Drive, Room H1429
Stanford, CA 94305
Phone (650) 723-4696 or (800) 800-1551
Fax (650) 723-6505


For further information, please view these documents:
Download a Transfer Center Brochure using Acrobat

Stanford Medicine Resources:

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