One call connects patients to the right hospital care across Wilmington and Southeastern North Carolina.

As hospital services expand across the Wilmington area and Southeastern North Carolina, referring physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) have more options for connecting patients with inpatient care. The challenge is knowing which facility provides the appropriate capabilities and level of care at the time a patient needs admission.

Novant Health is simplifying that decision through a coordinated hospital network and a single point of contact. Instead of determining the destination before calling, physicians can contact the Novant Health Transfer and Operations Center for assistance with either a direct admission or an acute-care facility transfer.

The central concept is simple: The referring physician or APP identifies that the patient needs hospital care. The Transfer and Operations Center helps determine where and how that care can be provided.

One region, connected by one clinical coordination team

Novant Health’s network includes community hospitals, specialty facilities and a broad tertiary-care campus. Each location has different services and capabilities, but the facilities operate as part of one regional system.

This connected model helps distribute patients according to clinical need rather than habit or geography alone. A patient who needs advanced tertiary services can be directed to a facility with the required specialists and resources. A patient who does not require that level of care may be appropriately treated at a community hospital closer to home.

Physicians do not have to navigate the network alone.

Hospital capabilities, bed availability and operational conditions can change. Requiring referring clinicians to maintain a detailed understanding of every facility would add complexity to an already time-sensitive process.

The Transfer and Operations Center helps remove that burden. Nurses evaluate the patient’s clinical needs and consider:

The appropriate level of care

Facility capabilities

Bed availability

Provider communication requirements

The admission pathway

Transportation needs

Opportunities to provide care closer to the patient’s home

The team can then coordinate clinician-to-clinician communication, admission orders, bed placement and other logistics, including transportation arrangements when needed. For referring clinicians, that means less time navigating operational details and more time focused on patient care.

Because services, capabilities and capacity can change, the Transfer and Operations Center serves as the most current source of information when determining the appropriate site of care.

Keeping patients closer to home without compromising the level of care

Care closer to home can reduce travel and keep patients connected to their families and communities. However, location should never take priority over the clinical needs of the patient.

The regional model balances both considerations. When a community hospital has the required capabilities and an appropriate bed, the patient may be placed closer to home. When the patient requires advanced services, the Transfer and Operations Center can help route the patient to the facility equipped to provide that care.

This approach addresses a common misconception that calling the Transfer and Operations Center automatically means a patient will be sent to the main hospital. Placement is instead guided by the patient’s needs, facility capabilities, and availability.

Important emergency care guidance

Patients experiencing potentially emergent conditions should continue to be directed to the nearest appropriate emergency department for immediate evaluation and treatment.

For stable, non-emergent direct admissions and coordinated patient transfers, the Transfer and Operations Center can help determine the most appropriate location based on the patient’s needs, current capabilities and available resources.