The Coastal Valleys EMS Agency has released EMS Special Memorandum 23-001
This EMS Special Memo is intended to clarify that the Stat Ambulance Transfers Policy allows for the emergency transport of “acute, unstable patients in need of immediate intervention by a facility offering a higher level of care” regardless of treatment location within an acute care facility.
The current language states that patients eligible for a Stat Ambulance transfer are limited to those being treated and located in an Emergency Department. In contrast, the EMS Agency would like to clarify that the policy is not intended to limit eligibility based on patient’s treatment location. An example might be a patient in a critical care unit with a STEMI and no available interventional cardiology available at the facility.
There is no change in the intent to limit the use of 911 ambulance resources to such critical cases. This clarification regarding patient location is not intended to expand the use of this policy to facilitate transfers of patients that are not in extremis or as a substitute for ALS or CCT transfer resources.
Changes are being drafted to the current policy to clarify intent, patient eligibility, and process. This EMS Special Memo is effective immediately. The current Stat Ambulance Transfer Policy will be released for public comment following the release of this EMS Special Memo.
Please do not hesitate to contact the EMS Agency with any questions or concerns; staff contact is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.