Patient Transfer Services

BCEHS Patient Transfer Services workspace at sunset
BC Emergency Health Services provides patient transfer services across British Columbia.

​​Types of patient transfers

​​​​​​​​​​BCEHS transfers patients

  • To a hospital or health facility that offers a higher level of care within BC
  • Back to their home community hospital (repatriation), from within or outside BC

Details of patient transfer services

 

When you're ready to go back to your home community, your health care team and BCEHS will decide if you need paramedic care during transport.

  • If you need paramedic care: BCEHS and your care team will arrange transport through BC Ambulance Service
  • If you don't need an ambulance: Your care team may arrange another transport service
  • If you're discharged and can travel on your own: You are responsible for getting home

 

Family members may not be able to travel with you.

BCEHS understands how important family support is, but ambulances have limited space and weight capacity. Paramedics will decide if a family member can travel with you when they arrive.

Because of this, BCEHS recommends that family members make their own travel plans.

If a family member is allowed to travel with you, they may need to show photo identification.

 
Inter-hospital transfers
  • If you have BC Medical Services Plan (MSP) coverage: $0*
Inter-facility transfers (e.g. care home to hospital)
  • With MSP coverage: $80 flat fee (air or ground)*
Non-MSP beneficiaries

If you do not have a valid BC Care Card (for example, visitors or non-residents), fees are:

  • $848 flat fee (ground)*
  • $4,394 per hour (helicopter)*
  • $11 per mile (airplane)*

*Prices may change.

​

For more details, visit the Billing page.

 

You may share an ambulance with another patient during your transfer. BCEHS does this to use ambulance resources efficiently due to high demand.

 

 

Your health care team and BCEHS will decide whether you travel by air or ground ambulance. They consider:

  • Distance
  • Your medical needs
  • Available resources
 

 

If you do not need an ambulance, your health care team may arrange another option based on your needs, such as:

  • Commercial airlines
  • Wheelchair-accessible taxis
  • Family members
  • Private medical transport service
  • HandyDART
​About Patient Transfer Services

Two BCEHS teams work together to manage transfers:

  • Patient Transfer Network (PTN)
  • Patient Transport Coordination Centre (PTCC)

Together, they form Patient Transfer Services.

Patient Transfe​​​r Network (PTN)

The PTN:

  • Works with sending and receiving hospitals to assess patient needs
  • Coordinates transfers
  • Reviews and prioritizes all requests (triage)
  • Connects care teams through a medical teleconference

Hospitals must go through this process to arrange a transfer. It helps ensure patients get to the right place as quickly as possible.

Patient Transport Coordination Centre (PTCC)

After a transfer is approved, the PTCC:
  • ​Manages logistics
  • Dispatches ambulance resources
  • Coordinates air and ground transport
Most transfers happen within BC, but some occur across Canada or internationally.

How BCEHS works with health authorities 

BCEHS works closely with BC's health authorities to safely transfer patients.

  • BCEHS helps identify the right hospital for the patient
  • It connects the sending and receiving clinical teams
  • The receiving hospital decides if it can provide the needed care
  • When the hospital confirms space and readiness (a bed is available) the transfer goes ahead

How hospital transfers work

  1. The sending doctor or hospital shares the patient's condition and care needs with BCEHS
  2. Patient Transfer Services contacts the appropriate regional health authority team
  3. BCEHS sets up a call between the sending and receiving doctors
  4. The receiving hospital confirms it can meet the patient's needs and has a bed available
  5. Once confirmed, BCEHS completes the transfer
BCEHS call-taker in front of computer screens