Roanoke, VA – Many people have visited a hospital, but few see the critical work that happens behind the scenes to ensure patients receive timely care.
The Carilion Transfer and Communications Center, or C-TAC, operates around the clock as Carilion’s eyes and ears, coordinating patient movement in and out of seven Carilion hospitals across the region.
“Physicians want to be at the bedside taking care of patients. They don’t want to be on the phone, they don’t want to deal with obstacles, so we try to streamline the process as much as possible,” said Paul Haskins, emergency physician and medical director for C-TAC.
Inside the center, registered nurses and emergency medical technicians who specialize in critical care monitor screens tracking everything — including the locations of helicopters, ambulances, and traffic levels across all seven hospitals.
“Our region is wide and vast, so it’s really important that we have the visibility that we do into our system,” said Victoria Samarasinghe, senior director for the Carilion Transfer and Communications Center. “If we need to go out to Tazewell to get a patient who may need to come to Roanoke for service, we can send the helicopter there. It’s a much better response time.”
C-TAC is the first center of its kind in the nation and the current iteration launched in 2014. Since then, it has become a national model, with more than 200 healthcare teams from around the world visiting to learn how it works and bring those ideas back to improve care in their own communities.
Last year, the center handled more than 100,000 calls and coordinated with 75 facilities across Virginia and nearby states.
“When we connect the physicians, we know we have a bed, we know we have the ability, and we can arrange to take those patients to the area that they need,” Haskins said.
“Minutes really matter for our patients, and it can make the difference in improving the outcome for them,” Samarasinghe added.
“The main focus of this is the patients. We want to eliminate any obstacles from our patients getting in the hospital and getting the care they need,” Haskins said.
As the region’s only level one trauma center, every minute matters. The teams at C-TAC are working hard to ensure the community receives the care it needs as quickly as possible.