Bed Management Processes
This is the system used by Houston Methodist for handling patient transfers, documentation, and communication.
What is EPIC?
This federal law requires hospitals to screen and stabilize all emergency room arrivals before transferring them if necessary.
What is EMTALA (Emergency Medical Treatment & Active Labor Act)?
Before an ICU bed can be assigned, this individual must be contacted to confirm patient acceptance.
Who is the ICU charge nurse?
This department is responsible for coordinating patient movement within the hospital, including ED transfers, ICU downgrades, and direct admissions.
What is the Centralized Bed Management Team?
This emergency hospital code is used to alert staff about an active shooter situation.
What is Code Silver?
When prioritizing bed requests, after direct admits, bed management prioritizes these types of patients next to free up ICU and IMU space.
What are ICU/IMU downgrades?
Before assigning a bed, the POE nurse must ensure the patient is in this status, meaning they are fully prepared for transfer.
What is Ready to Move (RTM)?
This acronym represents the four-step procedure for using a fire extinguisher in case of a hospital fire.
What is PASS (Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep)?
This specialized unit within Houston Methodist handles psychiatric patient placements and requires verification of voluntary or involuntary status before bed assignment
What is Main 7NW?
This step must occur when transferring a patient from the emergency department to an intensive care unit, ensuring patient safety and continuity of care.
What is an MD-to-MD handoff?
This hospital code is used to indicate a potential or confirmed bomb threat, requiring immediate security measures.
What is Code Orange?
Bed management prioritizes these types of patient admissions first, ensuring they are placed before others.
What are direct admits?
This hospital role is responsible for pre-assigning patients to targeted units based on diagnosis and bed availability.
What is the POE (Point of Entry) nurse?
This hospital code is activated when severe weather conditions, such as hurricanes or tornadoes, pose a threat to hospital operations.
What is Code Gray?
This tool within EPIC is used to locate on-call providers when managing bed requests and patient transfers.
What is the On-Call Finder?