Inter hospital transfer (IHT)

Urgent cardiac patients sometime require transfer from their local hospital to a specialist tertiary centre. An electronic inter-hospital transfer (IHT) system for moving these patients existed in London, but wasn’t used to its fullest extent. Varying protocols between referring and receiving hospitals meant inconsistent usage, inequity in access, unwarranted variation and extensive waiting times for treatment and repatriation.

Solution

Working with provider sites, the ODN helped to embed usage of the Teleologic IHT system for the transfer of patients to tertiary centres within five clinical pathways:

Cardiac surgery
Cardiology
Angio / PCI

South London IHT dashboard

View the dynamic data dashboard for South London: slcn.nhs.uk/dashboards/IHT (email the network to request a password)

Weekly updates

The weekly IHT report provides a snapshot of transfers across south London - view the archive

Network coordination

Colleagues across the ODN and South London tertiary sites meet weekly to monitor IHTs. This ensures that any operational issues are quickly addressed and escalated as appropriate. View the IHT escalation policy.

Results

Patient experience

Earlier decision for treatment -- with less uncertainty
Receive more timely intervention

Patient outcomes

Greater consistency, as all referring sites in south London, Kent, Surrey and Sussex have access and can refer patients through this system
Improved communication between referring clinicians and tertiary centres
Greater ability for clinicians to make high quality decisions on IHT referrals
Service delivered within guidance timelines
Reduction of patients breaching recommended timeframe
Reduced mortality and readmission

Value for money

Reduced costs due to shorter hospital stays
Reduced complications due to earlier intervention
Better capacity utilisation across the Network