title: Transfer from ophthalmology to another service is a marker of high risk medical events.
abstract: Of 3632 consecutive admissions to the Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute between July 1, 1987 and June 30, 1989, 27 patients required transfer to a medical or surgical service (0.74%). The major reasons for transfer included acute or decompensated cardiac disease (26%), poorly controlled diabetes mellitus (19%), acute renal failure (11%), coagulopathy, stroke, and hypertension (7% each). Only one transfer was a direct result of an anesthesia complication. The highest rates of transfers were associated with orbital (4.3%), enucleation/evisceration (3.1%), and glaucoma (2.3%) surgeries, while vitreoretinal surgery had the lowest rate of transfer (0.3%). Most of the transfers of patients with orbital disease were for management of related problems such as sinusitis or increased intracranial pressure.
authors.affiliation: Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md.
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Schachat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015142:Baltimore; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D016883:Diabetic Ketoacidosis / Q000150:complications*; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010360:Patient Transfer / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012307:Risk Factors