Cutting Edge with a Community Feel, Thompson Thriving Through Transfer Center Membership
With growing demand creating longer wait times at hospitals in the region’s high-density population areas, Thompson Hospital is happy to relieve the pressure.
Thompson first became a part of the University of Rochester Medical Center’s Transfer Center in 2020, after replacing its seven-bed ICU with a new, state-of-the-art 12-bed unit able to support a larger, highly experienced team. This means when beds are available, we can accept patient transfers from these other hospitals via emergency medical services, with transfers accepted not only in the ICU but on the medical/surgical floors and in the Observation Unit as well.
In recent months, our physicians have been meeting with their counterparts at fellow affiliates of UR Medicine across the region to heighten awareness of the option of transferring to Thompson.
“We have been making a concerted effort to let not only providers but ambulance services and patients know we are here, ready, and fully capable of providing high-level care,” said Thompson Health President/CEO Michael F. Stapleton, Jr.
Available services include care for complex and critical illnesses such as pulmonary care, noninvasive cardiology, general surgical services, vascular surgical services, urologic surgical services, and interventional radiology services, among others.
“Thompson can accept and begin triaging transfer patients in a minimal amount of time,” Michael said. “This is important to help ensure quality patient outcomes, but it also allows EMS crews to unload and return to their service areas more quickly.”
Our Transfer Center particularly benefits patients from the smaller Southern Tier hospitals.
“While delivering advanced care from providers who routinely also work at Strong and Highland hospitals in Rochester, Thompson is still a community hospital,” Michael said, noting the environment has a similar feel to UR Medicine affiliates Jones Memorial Hospital in Wellsville, Noyes Memorial Hospital in Dansville, and St. James Hospital in Hornell.
Thompson’s location often means family members of transferred patients have less far to travel. If they choose to stay overnight in Canandaigua, the hospital has arranged for a discount at a local hotel.
Thompson Health ICU Nursing Director Mary Kate Corey agreed that for many people, traveling to Rochester or Syracuse to visit a loved one can create transportation, financial, and emotional hardships.
“Critical care at Thompson means patients are closer to home, closer to family/ caregivers and the stress of adding a long drive to an urban/regional center is alleviated,” she said.
Mary Kate said joining the Transfer Center nearly four years ago created a strong foundation that is now supporting surgical, inpatient, and observation transfers from across the region. In November alone, we accepted 30 transferred patients.
“We have also developed relationships across the southern region with ICU and ED partners from Noyes, St. James, and Jones hospitals to share ideas, policies, and process improvements,” she said. “It’s these kinds of contacts and relationships that improve care across all of the UR Medicine affiliates.”