What information should be provided to the receiving facility during patient transfer?

• A. The patient's home address
• B. The patient's chest X-ray results
• C. The EMS unit number and crew names
• D. Patient identification and all pertinent incident and patient care information

Answer: (D)

The key idea here is ensuring a safe and seamless handoff through complete and accurate transfer of information. When a patient moves from EMS to the receiving facility, the team must know exactly who the patient is and what happened, what care was provided, and the current condition. Providing the patient’s identification along with all pertinent incident details and patient care information gives the hospital staff the context they need to continue treatment without delay or confusion. This includes why the patient was transported, vital signs and any changes, treatments given (drugs, procedures, oxygen, ventilatory support), allergies, and any ongoing or upcoming needs.

Other details like the home address aren’t essential for continuing medical care and can raise privacy concerns, while chest X-ray results may not be available or appropriate to share in the moment of transfer if they aren’t part of the immediate handoff. The EMS unit number and crew names are administrative identifiers; they don’t convey the patient’s clinical status or required care, so they don’t fulfill the primary goal of a thorough clinical handoff.