ECMO referrals within the Alfred Hospital, but outside the ICU, will be made through the ICU consultant on for referrals and external wards. This clinician will be responsible for arranging accredited ICU staff to perform cannulation and initiation of ECMO as indicated, and also facilitating ICU admission. The ICU ECMO consultant should also be consulted and will assist or lead the process.
Patients potentially requiring VA ECMO are admitted to the Cardiac ICU and patients with respiratory failure will be admitted to the General ICU. For patients within the Alfred ICU, the ICU consultant managing that patient will liaise with the ECMO consultant to discuss and arrange ECMO cannulation.