Transfer a Patient
The UCI Health Transfer Center helps outside facilities and practitioners to transfer patients to Emergency Services or an inpatient bed at UCI Medical Center. The referring facility is not required to have a UCI Health physician's approval to request a transfer.
Our multidisciplinary transfer process engages UCI Health registered nurse intake coordinators, the Transfer Center planner, physicians and financial counselors to ensure an expedited response to all transfer requests. Our coordinators and physicians work together to identify an appropriate accepting physician. Financial counselors or planners work directly with insurance agents to limit financial liabilities to patients and families.
Our specialists provide patients with the latest, evidence-based care and best practices.
The Transfer Center expertly manages patient transfers 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Please note: UCI Health is growing, adds location for patient transfer
Based on our recent acquisition, we now have an additional inpatient location for transfer at UCI Health — Fountain Valley. Learn more about the new location in the section below.
Who can initiate a referral?
Case managers, insurances, third-party or hospital representatives, physicians and medical directors can initiate a referral. Patients and families should request a referral through their physician or assigned case manager.
Transfer Center goals
- To seamlessly transition patients from outside referring facilities to UCI Health for appropriate medical treatments.
- To provide a convenient one-step process for physicians and healthcare professionals to transfer patients to UCI Medical Center.
- To provide the right care, with the right resources at the right time.
Rapid transfer protocols
The UCI Health rapid clinical protocol accepts trauma, burn, stroke and STEMI cases. Also, through our transfer planners, the Transfer Center coordinates the transport of patients. The appropriate level of transportation is determined after consultation between the transferring and accepting physicians and our highly trained clinical transfer team.
For medical professionals only
Acute care transfers
714-456-2222
Behavioral health transfers
714-264-5464
Perinatal/maternal child transfers
714-456-5272
NICU transfers
714-456-5285
Rehab transfers
714-456-5749
Transfer Center process
We will return your call or request to confirm receipt within 30 minutes. For a standard referral, we request demographics, H&P, diagnosis or reason for admission, referring case manager contact information, referring physician information and nursing station phone number. Depending on the specialty, we may ask for more case details.
To use the Transfer Center's services:
What to expect after submitting the packet:
- Once we receive the packet, our clinical nurse coordinators and financial counselors will review.
- We will refer and collaborate with the appropriate accepting physician and may conference with the referring physician to discuss the case.
- Once our physician accepts the patient, financial counselors will finalize financial eligibility and authorization for transfer.
- If a case is declined, we will communicate with the referring party as soon as possible with the reason for clinical or financial denial.
- If insurance requires an LOA or RA, our financial counselors will notify the referring party to work with the appropriate contact to execute an LOA/RA.
- Once we have cleared the request with our accepting physician and received financial authorization and LOA/RA, we will secure an inpatient hospital bed with the required and most appropriate level of care.
- We will communicate with the referring party as soon as possible so they can arrange transportation for transfer.
- We will follow up with the referring party with daily progress updates.
If an emergency department needs to transfer a patient, please call 714-456-2222 to begin the transfer process.
Call recordings
We record calls for patient safety, satisfaction and operational improvement.
Transferring patients to UCI Health — Fountain Valley
You can schedule an immediate transfer to UCI Health — Fountain Valley if you have a patient who needs a higher level of care than your local hospital or clinic can provide.
We are available to assist you 24/7/365. For immediate transport, please call 866-999-3874 or 714-966-8003. By contacting our UCI Health — Fountain Valley patient transfer service, you can:
- Receive immediate acceptance, bed placement and transport
- Communicate physician to physician
- Transfer inpatients requiring a higher level of care
- Collaborate with physicians' offices to get direct admissions for acute patients
- Speak with highly experienced liaisons
