External referrals for ECMO support for patients outside the Alfred Hospital (this includes patients already on ECMO) will be made through the ICU consultant on for external wards or the ECMO consultant on call. These clinicians will be responsible for appropriate patient selection, arranging for the ECMO retrieval and liaising with a suitable admitting specialty unit before transporting the patient to the ICU at the Alfred Hospital.
Per default two ICU consultants (generally the senior ECMO consultant and the backfill-consultant) will perform the retrieval in conjunction with ARV.
ECMO retrievals are performed 24/7 every day of the year and are dictated by the patient’s need, the local resources at the referring centre and logistical feasibility. All of which will be discussed with the referring centre at the time.
Retrieval of stable patients already on peripheral ECMO support from other hospitals will be performed during the day whenever possible and may be performed by one ICU accredited consultant and an ECLS nurse/ coordinator.
All staff transporting a patient in an ambulance need to have completed the ARV credentialing.
Referral form
These referral forms can be used to refer a patient to The Alfred but also aim to provide an overview of the basic information that will be required in the decision-making process and will be asked from the referring clinician.