Objective:

This study aimed to assess patients who were transferred from emergency services throughout the province of Mardin to out-of-province hospitals by ambulance in a year.

Material and Methods:

In this study, all patients transferred from emergency services in the province of Mardin to out-of-province hospitals via ambulances by the Patient Referral Assessment Committee, founded under the Provincial Directorate of Health, between the dates of December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2011 were evaluated retrospectively. No exclusion criteria were used. Patients were grouped and analyzed according to their demographic characteristics, transport properties, and reasons for referral.

Results:

The total number of the patients included in the study was 1518 (55.8% males, 41±27 mean age). Of all, 621 patients (40.9%) were transferred from the center of Mardin province, and the other patients were transferred from 8 district hospitals and two private hospitals. It was found that the patients were transferred to 37 hospitals in 8 provinces, and a total of 562 patients (37%) were transferred to private hospitals. Cardiology (23.3%), pediatrics (11.5%), and obstetrics and gynecology (8.8%) departments were the first three clinics that patients were transferred to frequently, respectively. In total, 274 patients (18.1%) were transferred inappropriately. There was a statistically significant difference between patients’ transfer hospitals (state hospital/private hospital) and the age of the patients (younger than 18 years/18 years or older) (p<0.001). In addition, the rate of adult patients’ transfers to tertiary healthcare centers was significantly higher (p<0.001).

Conclusion:

In Mardin, cardiology, pediatrics and obstetrics and gynecology patients are the most common group of emergency patients transferred by 112 ambulances to out-of-province hospitals. Approximately 40% of the patients were transferred to private hospitals. Inappropriate patient transfers seem to be a major problem in this study, as in other studies conducted in Turkey.

Keywords: Ambulance, patient transfer, emergency medicine (MeSH Database)