Ten years of Transfer Center success

A successful health care system has a lot of moving parts, including some departments that are almost invisible to the outside world. One example is the Transfer Center — it may be little known to those who haven’t interacted with the caregivers who work in that department, but they play a crucial role in patient care.

The Transfer Center manages all incoming transfer requests from outlying facilities to all of our Monument Health hospitals, and they’ve been doing so successfully since March 2013. Marla Venjohn, RN, BSN, Director of the Monument Health On-Call Transfer Center, provided an example of what they manage. “If you presented to Spearfish hospital, and were a trauma patient that needed to be transferred to Rapid City for a higher level of care, the provider in Spearfish would call the Transfer Center. We connect the referring provider with a trauma surgeon, or whoever we need to work with for the necessary care, and we do all the coordination for the transfer, chart the conversation between the providers in Epic and ensure that they have the proper transportation to Rapid City Hospital.”

Marla explained that the Transfer Center follows different protocols depending on the needs of the patient, whether they are a trauma patient, require cardiac care or have other needs. “We do all the coordination of patient movement between Monument Health hospitals,” she added.

Prior to the creation of the Transfer Center, transfers were much less coordinated — physicians and providers would simply phone ahead to the Emergency Department or other providers and inform them they were sending a patient over. It was an inefficient process that didn’t provide the best possible care. “In 2014, the first full year of operation, the Transfer Center took 11,057 patient transfer cases,” said Marla. “In 2022 we managed 15,954. This includes transfer requests and cases that may not need a transfer but require someone to consult with a physician or provider within Monument Health.”

The Transfer Center is staffed by both clinical and nonclinical caregivers, some with more than 30 years of experience. “The Transfer Center team has been a great service for us outlying Emergency Room providers,” said Constance Stock, M.D., Family Medicine physician at Monument Health Sturgis Clinic. “Not only with streamlining transfers but also with their skills, years of experience and very helpful caregivers. They provide guidance and reassurance in some difficult and stressful situations.”

Although the Transfer Center may not be in the spotlight, to those who need their services they can literally be a lifesaver. “For some patients, a quick and efficient transfer means getting the care they need, when they need it,” said Marla. “We’re proud of the role we play in delivering high-quality care to our patients and community.”