Guidelines For The Transport of Critically ill Patients

Obtaining quality medical care can be a stressful process in one’s life. While the choice of a physician is a personal matter, provision of efficient and timely emergency medical services is a challenge for the hospitals running emergency services in a city teeming with victims who require immediate medical attention and care.

Critically ill patients are attended by experienced medical officers and paramedical personnel who can understand, identify and interpret the seriousness of the situation, and start the treatment within the ambulance itself through appropriate administration of intensive care medicines, anaesthesia and other therapies. The decision to transfer a patient to our hospital is always based on a balance of the associated risks and benefits involved in such a transit, and such decisions are always made after elaborate discussion with the patient’s Consultant Physician from the referring as well as the receiving unit. The final decision regarding the transit lies with the ICU Consultant in our receiving unit.

Our ambulance is well-equipped with all the necessary state-of-the-art instruments and gadgets to facilitate transport of critically ill patients. Through appropriate machines, oxygen saturation and blood pressure measurements, the minimum standard of monitoring during transport is maintained.

Upon arrival at our hospital, receiving and nursing staff performs the official verbal and written hand over formalities and an updated record of patients coming to the casualty is maintained.

Our ambulance is well-equipped with the following

• Multipurpose transport trolley
• Folding stretchers
• Multichannel monitors with facilities to monitor blood pressure noninvasively
• Portable ventilator
• Oxygen cylinders
• Nebuliser
• Suction pump
• Syringe pump
• Pulse oxymeter
• Mobile phone
• Intubation set
• IABP ( if required)
• Emergency drugs and IV Fluids
• Linens, blankets, towels and pillows

In brief, the ambulance possesses all equipments standardized to enable a flawless transfer of patient during interruption of drug therapy or monitoring.