Knowledge on the Go Podcast

Strengthening interhospital transfer operations

VizientPodcast
18 min readAug 10, 2026

Interhospital transfers are a critical part of ensuring patients receive the right care at the right time. Standardized processes can help improve patient flow, strengthen communication, and create more consistent experience for patients and care teams. Our host Shannon Hale sits down with Dr. Benjamin Buettner, Assistant Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine and Medical Director of the Transfer Center at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, to discuss how their system is improving transfers through standardization, collaboration and innovation. 

Guest Speaker:
Benjamin P. Buettner, MD, FACP
Assistant Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine
Medical Director, Transfer Center
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

Host:
Shannon Hale, MHA, RN, CPHQ
Senior Program Director, Performance Improvement Programs
Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:42] Inside Ohio State's Transfer Center and managing monthly bed requests

[02:41] Why standardizing transfer processes improves consistency, patient safety and operational efficiency

[05:22] Simplifying transfer reasons and redesigning workflows to support better decision making

[06:21] Optimizing the electronic health record and building stakeholder buy-in

[07:57] Balancing patient needs with capacity management and making thoughtful transfer decisions

[09:11] Investing in frontline nurses and using technology to improve transfer outcomes

[11:48] Lessons learned from improving inter hospital transfer workflows and sustaining long term change

[15:11] What's next for Ohio State including AI, predictive analytics and the future of transfer centers

Links | Resources:
Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com 

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