Activation to Arrival: Transition and Handoff from Emergency Medical Services to Emergency Departments

The burden of neurologic disease in the United States continues to increase due to a growing older population, increased life expectancy, and improved mortality after cancer and cardiac disease. Emergency medical services (EMS) providers are responding to more patients with stroke, traumatic neurologic injury, neuromuscular weakness, seizure, and spontaneous cardiac arrest. Efficient prehospital care and triage to facilities with specialized services improve outcomes. Effective handoff from EMS to an emergency department ensures continuity of care and patient safety. Although advancements in prehospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation have increased rates of return to spontaneous circulation, a large proportion of patients sustain neurologic injury.