Tips for Transferring a Patient to Billings Clinic

Thank you for choosing Billings Clinic for your patient’s continued care. To assist you, we have prepared guidelines to help you with the transfer process.

To refer a patient, please call 406-HELPNOW (406-435-7669)

• Option 1: Stroke, STEMI, trauma, or other emergent/life-threatening condition
• Option 2: Urgent transfer, medical conversation and support
• Option 3: MedFlight Team and Dispatch
• Option 4: Call center agent (general operator)

If needed, please use this Pre-transfer Call Checklist to help prepare the necessary patient information for the transfer call.

For the call, please have the following information ready

• Patient’s Name
• Date of Birth
• Most recent vital signs
• Covid Status
• Code Status
• Working Diagnosis (enough information to determine which physician will best serve your needs)
• Status of patient consent to transfer/treatment
• Face sheet (Fax to 406-657-3756)
• Images in PACS

If it is determined that a transfer is necessary, please use our Hospital Transfer Checklist to help ensure that all necessary information is sent with the patient so we can provide the right care to the patient as quickly as possible once the patient arrives. Simply print the checklist and provide it to your transfer team to make sure all information is sent with patient.

If medical record is not in Cerner, please send the Patient Packet with your patient, including

• H&P, DC Summary
• Labs
• Pertinent Clinical Notes
• Advanced Directives or POLST
• Home Medication List
• MAR from last 12 hours

Other additional information

• Discounted hotels available for family. Care Management is able to provide resources.
• Only 2 healthy visitors are allowed per patient
• It is imperative for patients/families to plan how to get home. While we are happy to provide timely and excellent care, in order to offer this service to all regional patients, we must have a reliable and safe way to get patients home at time of discharge. Please make a plan for transportation after discharge.
• If patient is a minor, a parent or guardian needs to accompany

This process allows you to make one call in which we can determine the best treatment for the patient and the appropriate mode of transfer.