title: Complications during intrahospital transport of critically ill patients: Focus on risk identification and prevention.
abstract: Intrahospital transportation of critically ill patients is associated with significant complications. In order to reduce overall risk to the patient, such transports should well organized, efficient, and accompanied by the proper monitoring, equipment, and personnel. Protocols and guidelines for patient transfers should be utilized universally across all healthcare facilities. Care delivered during transport and at the site of diagnostic testing or procedure should be equivalent to the level of care provided in the originating environment. Here we review the most common problems encountered during transport in the hospital setting, including various associated adverse outcomes. Our objective is to make medical practitioners, nurses, and ancillary health care personnel more aware of the potential for various complications that may occur during patient movement from the intensive care unit to other locations within a healthcare facility, focusing on risk reduction and preventive strategies.
authors.affiliation: Temple University School of Medicine - St. Luke's University Hospital Campus, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Patrick H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.affiliation: Temple University School of Medicine - St. Luke's University Hospital Campus, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Neelabh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maheshwari
authors.affiliation: Temple University School of Medicine - St. Luke's University Hospital Campus, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Jafar
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.affiliation: Temple University School of Medicine - St. Luke's University Hospital Campus, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scholl
authors.affiliation: Temple University School of Medicine - St. Luke's University Hospital Campus, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Papadimos
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma, Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery, The State University of New York (SUNY)-University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Weidun Alan
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St. Luke's University Health Network, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cipolla
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St. Luke's University Health Network, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Stanislaw P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Stawicki
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Latchana
keywords: Complications; critically ill patient population; intrahospital patient transfers; never events; patient safety