Interfacility Ambulance Transport
Interfacility ambulance transport in Houston
Ambulance transfers between hospitals, freestanding ERs, nursing homes, assisted living, rehab and other facilities across Greater Houston. The referring team can request BLS, ALS or MICU.
For a medical emergency, call 911.
- Serving Greater Houston since 2004. Since 2004
- Dispatch answered 24/7. Dispatch 24/7
- Over 40 EMTs and paramedics. 40+ EMTs and paramedics
- Texas EMS license 1000961. Texas EMS license 1000961

Service overview
What is interfacility ambulance transport?
We move a patient from one healthcare facility to another, including transfers from freestanding ERs to hospitals.
The referring team gives Dispatch the pickup, destination, time and level. Dispatch confirms the trip.
Common requests
When interfacility transport may be appropriate
Common facility transfers:
Hospital-to-hospital transfers
From one hospital to another.
Emergent facility transfers
Urgent transfers that a hospital, freestanding ER or nursing home books with Preferred EMS when the sending team asks for an emergent response. Preferred EMS is not a 911 service; for an emergency at home or in public, call 911.
Hospital to skilled nursing or rehabilitation facility
From the hospital to a nursing facility, rehab center or other care setting.
Transfers for specialized care or appointments
To a facility with special services, or to a scheduled appointment.
Return transfers to a healthcare facility
Back to the facility after a procedure, appointment or short stay.
Long-distance facility-to-facility transportation
Longer transfers between facilities.
For healthcare teams
Interfacility transport for healthcare facilities
Hospitals, freestanding ERs, nursing homes, assisted living, rehab and other facilities across Greater Houston can request transfers. Dispatch answers 24/7.
You can request BLS, ALS or MICU. Dispatch confirms the pickup, destination, time and level.
For healthcare facilitiesQuestions
Frequently asked questions
What is interfacility ambulance transport?
An ambulance transfer from one healthcare facility to another: hospital to hospital, to a nursing or rehab facility, for special care, or back to a facility.
What types of healthcare facilities does Preferred EMS transport between?
Hospitals, ERs, freestanding ERs, nursing homes, assisted living, rehab, dialysis and specialty centers across Greater Houston.
Can interfacility transportation be BLS, ALS, or MICU?
Yes. Preferred EMS provides BLS, ALS, or MICU transport for interfacility transfers. The patient's doctor or nurse chooses the level. Not sure? Dispatch will help.
Does Preferred EMS provide hospital-to-hospital transportation?
Yes. Hospital-to-hospital transfers are one of our most common trips. Dispatch works with both the sending and receiving facility.
Does Preferred EMS handle emergent facility transfers?
Yes. Hospitals, freestanding ERs and nursing homes can book emergent facility transfers with our dispatch team 24 hours a day at (713) 791-9000, as well as scheduled non-emergency transfers. Preferred EMS is not a 911 service; for an emergency at home or in public, call 911.
Is Preferred EMS dispatch available 24/7 for interfacility transport?
Yes. Dispatch answers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (713) 791-9000.
How do healthcare facilities request a transport?
Call Dispatch at (713) 791-9000 or send the online request. Dispatch will call you to confirm.
Continue exploring
Other transport services
- Book a facility transferFor discharge planners and case managers.
- Basic Life Support (BLS)Basic life support with two EMTs.
- Dialysis ambulance transportStretcher ambulance trips to and from dialysis.
- Nursing home and rehab transfersTrips to and from nursing homes and rehab centers.
