15. Conclusions

Intrahospital transfers are among some of the most dangerous, yet necessary endeavors that hospitalized patients require during the implementation of diagnostic and therapeutic plans. Although the overall risk profile of IHTs depends on patient acuity, other factors are important risk determinants as well, including location and distance between hospital departments, team member knowledge and communication, the complexity of medical management, and the equipment involved. Significant amount of provider/staff training is required to optimize the team performance and minimize the overall risk of an adverse event occurring during an IHT. Healthcare professionals are encouraged to strictly follow the fundamentals of patient safety, as outlined throughout the Vignettes in Patient Safety cycle, to help reduce complications and to propagate a culture of safety throughout their clinics and hospitals.
