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Transfer Center Triage

Transfer Center Triage

With expertise in more than 200 specialties, the health system partners with physicians nationwide to care for patients with time-critical or complex conditions. Our triage nurse coordinators facilitate rapid transfers for time-critical diagnoses. These experienced emergency care and ICU nurses quickly collaborate with referring physicians to identify the right resources for your patient.

Committed to collaboration

Why refer to us

When you refer to the health system, your patient will receive the highest-quality care – and you will receive consistent communication from our team.

Consult with a physician

To consult with a physician in any department 24/7, call 913-588-5862 or toll-free 877-588-5862.

Resources for EMS Partners

At the health system, we value our partnership with EMS professionals. We offer several resources to help you provide essential healthcare.

Time-critical conditions

We offer advanced medicine for many time-critical conditions, including:

How our transfer center serves you

When you call our transfer center, a triage nurse coordinator will ensure rapid transfer and effective collaboration by:

Collecting patient information on condition and diagnosis
Communicating with attending physicians to expedite consults and coordinate hand-off
Applying clinical triage and decision-making regarding patient placement and response team activation
Gathering medical record information and images to reduce duplication of tests and scans
Providing real-time bed status
Offering ongoing follow-up of your patient’s status throughout the transfer process
Evaluating insurance coverage for non-emergency cases to help patients make informed decisions and avoid the burden of unexpected medical costs

These nurses are wonderful. They collect everything we need to work on behalf of the patient. As a team, we are providing faster access to the right care, and that's what it's all about." Theresa King, MD
Hospitalist, The University of Kansas Health System

What to expect as a referring physician

After you call the transfer center, the triage nurse coordinator will communicate with a health system physician who will accept or decline the transfer request. You may speak with the referring physician to discuss the condition of the patient.

Information we need

Please be prepared to share the following with the triage nurse coordinator:

- Your name, title and call-back number
- The name of the sending facility and the patient's location at the facility (ED or inpatient)
- Patient demographics, including name with middle initial, date of birth and the diagnosis prompting the request
- Any imaging relevant to the transfer request. Please upload the images to the cloud ASAP to expedite a disposition.
- The reason for the transfer
- A brief patient overview, including known medical history, significant exam findings, injuries identified and current physical exam
- If appropriate, information regarding imaging with findings, lab values, vital signs and trends, medications and procedures
For routine transfer requests, such as for higher level of care, specialty care or procedure, second opinion or patient request, our transfer center will request the following information:
- Your name, title and call-back number
- The name of the sending facility and the patient's location at the facility
- Patient demographics, including name with middle initial, date of birth and the diagnosis prompting the request
- Images relevant to the transfer request. If you believe your patient needs neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery or vascular surgery services, upload images to the cloud ASAP to expedite a disposition.
- The reason for the transfer (patient/family request, second opinion, etc.)
- If appropriate, information regarding imaging with findings, lab values, vital signs and trends, medications and procedures
- A copy of the patient's facesheet
- Scanned documents including H&P, 3 days of progress notes, labs and vital signs, notes from consulting physicians, reports from imaging and procedures and current medication record
To promote effective patient transfer for stroke, sepsis or STEMI patients, please review the following:
- For patients with acute ischemic stroke
- For patients with known or suspected sepsis
- For patients with STEMI: Please fax the patient’s EKG to 913-588-2249. Obtain a second peripheral IV (do not delay the transfer to obtain the IV). In addition to a brief history and assessment report, our triage nurse coordinator will need the following information:

When I had a patient with a compromised airway, the triage nurse coordinator at the health system provided prompt assistance, resulting in a rapid transfer to the medical ICU." Referring local physician

Level I Trauma Center and time-critical diagnosis

The University of Kansas Health System is the region's most experienced nationally verified Level I Trauma Center, offering 24/7 on-site coverage by physicians board-certified in general surgery and surgical critical care. Learn more about our Level I Trauma Center and its accreditations.