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Arkansas Children's Operations Center

Making children better today and healthier tomorrow often starts with a patient transfer or the need for consultation. The Arkansas Children's Operations Center offers the highest level of service as a one-call transfer system, providing a single-entry point for consultations or to transfer patients to the Arkansas Children's system.

Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the Arkansas Children’s Operations Center provides a seamless transfer process for patients, families and providers with a centralized entry point to all Arkansas Children’s facilities.

Contact the Arkansas Children's Operations Center to initiate a transfer today at 888-764-5437 (KIDS).

Information Required

  • Referring physician, referring facility and contact number
  • Patient information
    • Name, date of birth, sex
    • Chief complaint/reason for transfer
    • Concerns and differential diagnosis
    • Vital signs (heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, pulse oximetry, temperature, and weight)
    • Any interventions, medications, or treatments completed 
    • Any imaging or labs completed; we will  ask for imaging to be share through a digital online repository and labs/notes to be faxed at the time of acceptance; this allows our treatment team to being reviewing the care of the patient prior to arrival 

Transport Decisions

If you are unsure of the need for transfer, the Operations Center can also facilitate phone consults with our on-call providers to determine needed management for the patient. These consults can be used for pre-transfer management, or to allow for follow up in clinic settings rather than requiring an ER transfer. 

  • It is up to the referring provider to determine the mode of transport to Arkansas Children’s once the patient has been accepted 
  • The transfer request will be managed through the operations center regardless of mode of transportation
  • If needed, we can faciality communication with Angel One Dispatch for transport requests

If you are requesting transfer for a trauma patients, you will contact the Arkansas Trauma System, who will then connect to the Operations Center. 

 

Operations Center Questions and Answers

Who answers the phones in the Operations Center?

Dedicated RNs answer all calls and accept patients based on diagnosis, admitting service and capacity. The Operations Center is also staffed with a pediatric hospitalist that is able to help guide pre-transfer management or assist in communication with other internal providers.
When do I use the Operations Center for transfers?

The Operations Center manages all transfers coming into the Arkansas Children's System. This includes Emergency room transfers, direct admission requests, ICU level transfers, trauma and burn transfers, as well as consultations for recommendations, even if they don't result in a patient transfer.
Can the Operations Center help with management prior to transfer?

 The Operations Center utilizes clinical pathways to guide care recommendations for safe and effective care prior to transfer. Additionally, the Operations Center nurse can utilize the hospitalist or other specialist to make specific management recommendations for your patient. View our Clinical Pathways here.

 

What about direct admits?

The Operations Center manages all direct admissions into the Arkansas Children's System. Sometimes, even patients in an emergency room are appropriate for direct admission. The Operations Center nurse will facilitate the connection with an accepting provider if the patient is appropriate for direct admission.
Should I share the laboratory analysis and imaging that I have obtained for my patient?

 

Yes! We encourage sharing of any clinical work up that has been obtained. You can fax any reports, laboratory analysis, or other results to the Operations Center for upload into our electronic medical record. Images typically can be shared digitally to allow for rapid upload into our system. This allows our treatment team to be able to review all completed work up prior to or during patient arrival. 
Can I still call Angel One directly for patient transport?

Yes! Angel One Transport is an available resource that can be navigated through the Operations Center once the patient has been accepted into our system. 
Who do I contact if I have more questions?
You are welcome to reach out directly to the Operations Center Leadership Team for any questions you may have or to provide feedback. Additionally, you can provide feedback on the consultation and transfer process here:

Dr. Sara Sanders, MD 
Operations Center Medical Director 
501-364-4392
scsanders@uams.edu 

Kirsten Johnston 
Patient Care Services Director- Operations Center 
johnstonka@archildrens.org