RN – Transfer Center (Carle Direct)

The Transfer Center RN Specialist is dedicated to facilitating appropriate patient transfers into Carle Hospital from referring physicians and facilities (hospitals, clinics, convenient/urgent cares, surgery centers, etc.) as well as transfers from Carle to quaternary medical facilities (outbound transfers), Obtains appropriate patient information critical to determining the appropriate Carle provider, medical necessity and level of care, and demographic information. Responsible for facilitating a conference call between the referring physician and the Carle receiving physician, and will ensure, when appropriate, that an appropriate level of care bed within Carle is identified, and facilitate a timely mode of transportation. Responsible for meeting the needs and expectations of referring physicians/facilities, as well as accepting physicians by supporting and managing the patient transport process efficiently and effectively. Efficiently engages appropriate departments in the transfer process and monitors and documents all activities associated with the transfer. Responsible for oversight of the entire transfer episode, from start to finish, for communication back to the referring facility, and for communication to the physicians assuming care of the patient post-discharge from Carle.

• Expedites consultation between referring patient-care providers and receiving physicians.
• Demonstrates strong clinical assessment skills to appropriately assess patient acuity and needs, assumes principal responsibility for the coordination of acceptance, admission and transfer, and necessary communication between the referring physician, attending physician and clinical staff.
• Utilizes established scripts and algorithms to facilitate smooth transition into Carle Hospital.
• Develop high quality professional relationships with providers and staff at referring facilities to ensure that transfers are timely and appropriate with high level patient care while ensuring maximum patient safety, optimal physician and consumer satisfaction while promoting Carle Service Line to existing and potential network hospitals. This will include site visits with referral sources to better understand their needs.
• In collaboration with House Officers/Throughput Officers maximize organizational patient flow and capacity management. Communicate patient placement needs utilizing contemporary guidelines and principles of patient safety, clinical relevance, patient care, patient acuity and nursing care requirements and corresponding workload ramifications.
• Conducts recorded three-way calls between referring physician and facility physician as well as nurse-to-nurse report.
• Ensures documentation is concise, meets standards utilizing all appropriate forms, and is completed in a timely, accurate manner.
• In addition to facilitating communication prior to and during the transfer process, the nurse in this role will be responsible for maintaining communication after the patient stay in order to maintain continuity of care for the referred patient. Provides follow-up calls and communication with both internal and external customers to meet the needs of the patient.
• When necessary, facilitate transfer to other appropriate facilities if Carle Hospital is unable to provide the services required to accommodate patient needs.

• Communicates and collaborates with the House Officer to assure proper bed placement and resource availability. Obtains and documents relevant clinical data to individually assess the needs of each patient to ensure proper patient placement. Serves as the primary clinical resource to House Officer staff in any unforeseen/unscheduled events that arise related to incoming patient transfers.
• Manages and coordinates centralized communications between referring and accepting provider services. Collaborates with physicians to assess urgency and priority of transfer acceptance.
• Collaborates with providers to ensure effective algorithms utilization to ensure smooth
• transfer process; protocols to create a continuum of care for patients being transferred from outside facilities.
• Develops and promotes long-term relationships with referring facilities and providers. Advocates for regional patients, providers and facilities ensuring that regional providers will want to send their next patient to Carle.
• Arranges and coordinate all urgent and emergent inpatient admission and transfers. Receives and processes all patient transfer related requests from referring and accepting providers. Documents all required information in Epic and Forefront.
• Develops and utilizes a feedback mechanism to provide follow-up to referring facilities and provider.