Level of training and experience in physicians performing interhospital transfers of adult patients in the internal medicine department

Aim: To establish the level of training doctors who participate in interhospital transfers in Denmark. Methods: A questionnaire was sent to every hospital department in Denmark with acute internal medicine admissions. Results: Eighty-nine internal medicine departments were contacted and 84 responded (response rate 94.4%). Of the 84 hospitals, 75 (89.3%) indicated that they perform interhospital transfers. Most transfers were performed by interns (61.3%) or senior house officers (10.7%) with only a few months' experience in their current speciality. Training in interhospital transfer was offered by 24.0% of departments. When presented with cases of interhospital transfers of critically ill patients, 77.3% of the responders stated that their department would not follow guidelines when performing the transfer. Conclusions: The gap between recommended professional standards and current practice shows a need to establish educational programmes in interhospital transfer.