Safe, Well organised, Inter-Facility Transfer (SWIFT)

Overview

Initiative type

Service Improvement

Status

Deliver

Published

20 May 2021

Summary

Safe, Well organised, Inter-Facility Transfer (SWIFT) is a safety process and consists a 60 second bedside check conducted immediately prior to patient transfer. Undertaken by the Senior Doctor, Senior Nurse and QAS Officer where relevant, SWIFT requires consensus that the patient is safe for transport and ensures documentation is completed and up to date.

Key dates

May 2021

Implementation sites

Queensland Health Emergency Departments

Partnerships

Queensland Emergency Department Strategic Advisory Panel (QEDSAP). QEII Jubilee Hospital ED, Metro South Health, Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS)

Aim

To provide a develop a simplified and consistent approach to help ensure patients are safe to transfer from an Emergency Department (ED) to other facilities.

Outcomes

  • senior medical and nursing staff ensure that patients are safe and ready to transfer at time of patient transfer
  • ensures all documentation is current and ready to be transported with the patient

Background

SWIFT is led by Louise Welldon, Clinical Nurse Consultant and Dr Clare Kao, Emergency Physician from QEII Jubilee Hospital, Metro South Health. SWIFT was devised in response to an adverse event during an inter-hospital transfer. It was identified that clinical assessment of patients often occurs when transport is organised, which can be long before the actual transfer takes place. SWIFT fills this gap and is designed to be a non-onerous, multidisciplinary clinical check to ensure patient safety.

Methods

SWIFT was developed as a one-page form which includes brief clinical and transport information completed when transport is organised, and a ‘SWIFT check’ undertaken immediately prior to transport.

The PROV-ED Project team has worked with QEII stakeholders and consulted Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS), to ensure the form is suitable for widespread use in Queensland Health EDs. Departments not wishing to adopt the form in its entirety can opt to implement the concept of the SWIFT check by adding to or embedding into existing resources.

A solution for digital Emergency Department is available.

SWIFT implementation requires a brief ED staff education campaign. It will also be incorporated into QAS education protocols.

Discussion

Under the PROV-ED Project, evaluation of SWIFT includes:

  • obtaining inter-hospital transfer data for EDs
  • pre- and post-implementation surveys to evaluate staff perceptions of SWIFT

Key contact

PROV-ED Project Team

Manager, PROV-ED

HIU

Email:  PROVED.Project@health.qld.gov.au

Last updated: April 2025

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