The invention relates to a method of delivering a patient using a transfer device having a base, a frame attached to the base, and a table assembly attached to the frame and supporting the patient which includes upper and lower tables surrounded by respective upper and lower counter-rotating belts, the method comprising:moving the table assembly from a home position over the base to an extended position adjacent the base and above a first patient support surface with the upper and lower tables completely separated, while keeping the base stationarymaintaining a separation between a delivery side plate of the upper table and the lower table along a delivery side of the table assembly while placing a driving side plate of the upper table into forcible contact with the lower tablecounter-rotating the upper and lower belts to offload the patient onto the first patient support surface while the delivery side plate of the upper table is separated from the lower table and the driving side plate of the upper table is in forcible contact with the lower table.
