Hospital Discharge Patient Readiness

Effective:          08-10-22

Supersedes:     12-01-21

In order to improve time-on-task and provide a more timely and reliable service, Brewster Ambulance Field Staff will notify Brewster Hospital Navigators via company radio 10 Minutes prior to arrival on scene for Hospital Discharges.  The Hospital Navigator will then contact the discharging floor to ensure  the patientdischarge is entirely ready for the arrivingcrew.  If a delay is identified, the Navigator will work with Comms to assign a new call and update the pick-up time for the delayed call. 

This policy is specific to crews utilizing the new digital cellular radio system and only at Hospitals that are  staffed with a Brewster Hospital Navigator, MONDAY-FRIDAY 10:00-18:00

Procedure

1.       Field staff dispatched to a Hospital Discharge from a site thatis staffed with a Hospital Navigator.

2.       10 Minutes prior to arrival on-scene, Field staff will hail the Site specific Hospital Navigator on  Radio Channel“Liaisons” via digital cellular radio system.

3.       Hospital Navigator will acknowledge the arriving unit.

4.       Hospital Navigator will contact the Hospital discharging staff to confirm the discharge is entirely ready for transport.

a.       Discharge PaperworkComplete:

i.      Discharge Summary

ii.      Medication List

iii.      Prescriptions

iv.      Demographic Sheet

v.      Additional:

1.       Sections 12s

2.       MOLST

b.       Patient ready to be discontinued from hospital treatments:

i.      IVs

ii.      Medications

iii.      Telemetry

iv.      Intermittent pneumaticcompression (IPC)

c.       Patient belongings packed:

i.      All belongings collected and packed

ii.      All belongings retrieved from security

d.       Discharging RN aware and ready to give hand-off report

5.       Upon confirmation the discharge is entirely ready for transport, Hospital Navigator will confirm  patient readiness with the assigned crew – crew will proceed as assigned.

6.       IF, the discharge is not entirely ready and a delay is identified:

a.       Hospital Navigatorwill coordinate a new call assignment with Brewster Communications

b.       The original call will be rescheduled with an updated pickup time confirmed with the  floor

7.       Radio Functionand Procedure:

a.       Switch radio channel to the“Liaisons” channel.

b.       Hail appropriate Navigator 10 Minutesprior to arrival

i.      Crew:              “BA-99 to MGH Navigator”

ii.      Navigator:       “MGH Navigator answering BA-99”

iii.      Crew:              “BA-99 10 Minute ETA to MGH for PatientSmith off of Blake 11”

iv.      Navigator:       “Received, standby for confirmation”

v.      Navigator:       “MGH Navigator to BA-99”

vi.      Crew:              “BA-99 answering”

vii.      Navigator:       “Discharge is ready, proceedas assigned”

viii.     Crew:              “BA-99 received”