adminOver the past months, the Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED) has been working with the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP), Leading Edge PA, the Philadelphia County Medical Society, and the Pennsylvania Health Care Association on the development of a Universal Patient Transfer Form (UPTF). Input has also been sought and received from the Pennsylvania Medical Directors Association and the Pennsylvania College of Emergency Physicians.
The UPTF facilitates the transfer of necessary patient information when an individual is transferred from a nursing facility, assisted living facility, or personal care home to an inpatient hospital. The discussions are led by an emergency physician who believes that a standard, straightforward form is needed to improve on communications during the transfer process to minimize opportunities for the inaccurate or incomplete transfer of patient information, or the unnecessary delays in treatment.
While PAMED and other stakeholders were working on the form, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a proposed rule that would revise the requirements that long-term care facilities must meet to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Although not requiring a specific format, the proposed rule would require that specific information be communicated with the receiving provider or facility when a resident is transferred along with the documentation in the medical record that a transfer or discharge has occurred.
We are looking for additional feedback on the proposed form developed by Pa. stakeholders through March 18, 2016, and encourage Pennsylvania physicians to provide their input by answering the following questions.