LAC 48:I.4541. Transfer Agreements and Patient Transfers

A. The ASC shall secure a written transfer agreement with at least one licensed hospital in the community. A transfer agreement shall serve as evidence of a procedure whereby patients can be transferred to a hospital should an emergency arise which would necessitate hospital admission. B. The admitting physician of the ASC shall be responsible for effecting the safe and immediate transfer of patients from the ASC to a hospital when, in his/her medical opinion, hospital care is indicated. C. The ASC is responsible for developing written policies and procedures for the immediate safe transfer of patients and coordination of admission into a licensed inpatient hospital when patients require emergency medical care beyond the capabilities of the ASC. The written policy shall include, but is not limited to: 1. identification of the ASC personnel who shall be responsible for the coordination of admission into an inpatient facility; 2. procedures for securing inpatient services; 3. procedures for the procurement of pertinent and necessary copies of the patient’s medical record that will be sent with the transferring patient so that the information may be included in the patient’s inpatient medical record; 4. identification of a minimum of one licensed inpatient hospital, via a current written transfer agreement; and 5. a requirement that the ASC will periodically provide the local inpatient hospital facility with written notice of its operations and patient population served.