AZ REACH Surpasses Milestone of Transferring 20,000 Patients in Three Years

The Arizona Resource Equity and Access Coordination Hub (AZ REACH), administered by the University of Arizona’s Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center (AZPDIC), has surpassed 20,000 patient transfer referrals since it began three years ago, more than tripling since its initial year. That’s easing the burden on rural hospitals that lack both the space and expertise to provide specialized on-site patient care. Of their adult and pediatric referrals, 90% patient transfers equate to over 27,000 hours saved, allowing on-site care teams to reallocate resources from administrative burden to bedside care. This increase validates the need for AZ REACH’s resources and the fundamental value of the program. The voluntary, free 24/7 service keeps Arizonans safe and addresses the disparity in health care access throughout the state.

In 2022, AZ REACH was developed as a supplemental resource from the Arizona Surge Line. This centralized transfer center played a pivotal role in load-leveling hospitals and facilitating patient transfers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Like the Surge Line, AZ REACH facilitates transfers from Rural, Indian Health Services, Tribally Operated PL-638, and Critical Access Hospitals, revealing a significant disparity in access to care for rural Arizonans. The most common specialties sought are cardiology, gastrointestinal, general surgery, pulmonology and neurology, which account for 51% of AZ REACH’s total requests. 

Payton Tanner, RN, registered nurse at Little Colorado Medical Center, is an ardent supporter of the program, having witnessed firsthand how long it can take for rural patients to receive urgent medical care. “Far too often, patients in smaller or remote hospitals wait hours—or even days—for transfer to a facility capable of providing the care they urgently need. In those situations, time can mean the difference between recovery and tragedy,” said Tanner. “I have personally seen AZ REACH help save lives and bring comfort to families who might otherwise feel forgotten by the system. This program is not a luxury; it is a lifeline for patients who live far from larger hospitals.”

Growing evidence shows that rural patients face significant disparities in access to timely, specialized care, with direct implications for health outcomes. A recent peer-reviewed study published in JAMA Network Open found that only 56% of interhospital transfer requests from rural hospitals were accepted, and that severe emergency department crowding reduced transfer acceptance by nearly 30%, further delaying access to advanced care. Clinical evidence across trauma and acute care settings consistently demonstrates that faster transfer to definitive care is associated with lower mortality, improved functional outcomes, and fewer complications for critically ill and injured patients. These findings underscore the importance of coordinated transfer models like AZ REACH. In partnership with the University of Arizona, additional research is currently underway to evaluate how AZ REACH’s streamlined coordination translates into measurable health outcomes for rural and tribal communities across Arizona.

AZPDIC is familiar with providing free 24/7 services to physicians and hospitals in need. Steven Dudley, PharmD, center director, knows how critical these services are to patients, physicians, and the health care system. “You become a healthcare professional because you want to help people and seeing patients have worse outcomes because of where they live can be disheartening.  What AZ REACH is doing is legitimately awe-inspiring and the positive impact this service has on provider burden and patient recovery is undeniable,” said Dudley. 

Beyond day-to-day transfer coordination, AZ REACH also plays a critical role in statewide situational awareness and disaster preparedness. By maintaining real-time visibility into hospital capacity, service-line availability, and system pressures across rural and urban regions, AZ REACH ensures that patients can be directed quickly and safely during high-demand events, natural disasters, or emergency surges. This centralized insight strengthens Arizona’s overall readiness and empowers clinical teams to focus on patient care while AZ REACH supports informed, coordinated responses. 

“What has been most impactful since the AZ REACH Program began is the difference we all know that it has made for patients, especially those seeking care in emergency departments,” said Charles Larsen, AZ REACH executive director. “By taking the administrative load that once pulled clinicians away from the bedside, REACH helps ensure patients receive more attentive, uninterrupted care during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. By accelerating access to definitive levels of care, we’re not just moving patients faster; we’re improving outcomes. Every minute saved in coordination is a minute gained for patient care, and that has been the true measure of REACH’s impact.”

Looking to the future, Larsen says their vision for the AZ REACH program is rooted in expanding the ways they can help shift non-clinical work effort away from the on-site clinical care teams and improve access to care for rural residents. 

Building on the strong foundation they’ve established, they are exploring enhancements to their services that include behavioral health transfer coordination, strengthening transportation coordination, and improving support for outpatient referrals. All of these are designed to streamline care transitions and free clinical staff to focus on patient care. 

They are also evaluating opportunities to bring the AZ REACH model to additional regions through the Rural Health Transformation Project. This may include expanding the existing program into neighboring states, as they have already transferred patients to New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado, California, and Utah. Replicating the model as independent operations where communities face similar challenges in care coordination provides an additional solution to increasing care access. Their goal is to leverage the proven success of AZ REACH to create scalable solutions that advance timely health care access and reduce the operational load on frontline providers across the country. 

As the AZ REACH program and its overall impact continue to grow, they’ve expanded engagement with healthcare organizations, community partners, and stakeholders who share their commitment to reducing administrative burden on clinical teams and improving access to care for rural residents. Visit their website at az-reach.com to learn more, explore partnership opportunities, or understand how the AZ REACH model could support your region.