Neonatal and Pediatric Specialty Transport Services

Program Overview

Staffed with a dedicated critical care team 24 hours a day, Transport Services coordinates all aspects of transfers and transports. From the time a transport is requested, an Attending Physician from Children’s Health will be involved to provide ongoing medical advice while the transport team mobilizes.

Children’s Health Transport Services was the first neonatal/pediatric team in the nation to receive the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems’ (CAMTS) accreditation in all three modes of transport – ground, helicopter and fixed-wing. Transport team members are required to have a variety of certifications, including BLS, ACLS, PALS and NRP, as well as advanced trauma certifications such as ATCN, ATLS or TNCC, and transport specialty certifications.

Our Transport Services team provides multidisciplinary care and can manage a wide variety of diagnoses and complications throughout the transport. The team is supported by board-certified physicians in specialties such as neonatology, critical care, emergency care and trauma.

Rotorwing services provided by PHI Air Medical, Fixed wing services provided by SevenBar Aviation

Our Access Center

One phone call to the Children’s Health Access Center at 888-730-DOCS (3627) is all it takes to mobilize our transport team. Upon receiving a call, our Communication Specialists will contact the appropriate accepting physician and arrange transport or admission.

The referring physician will determine the most appropriate mode of transportation based on the patient’s location and acuity (ambulance, helicopter or jet). One family member may accompany the patient on any mode of transport. Upon arrival at the facility, our team will immediately begin care. The Children’s Health Access Center is staffed with National Association of Air Communication Specialists (NAACS) certified,  in-house Communication Specialists 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

When requesting a transfer to Children’s Health, please provide as much of the following patient information as possible:

• Patient name and date of birth (or gestational age if applicable)
• Purpose of transport
• Current diagnosis
• Vital signs
• Respiratory status and ventilator support
• Current medications
• Patient condition

Direct Admit

Our Transport Team 

• Care begins at first contact with the Access Center at Children’s Health
• Our team is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Service (CAMTS)
• All members are trained in the care of neonatal, pediatric and HROB patients and are prepared to handle a wide range of patient needs
• Requires all RNs and RRTs to be licensed as dual credentialed EMTs or paramedics
• Experienced with high-frequency, jet ventilation and inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) and ECMO and therapeutic cooling of neonate
• Utilizes ventilators capable of multiple modes of ventilation that are appropriate for neonatal and pediatric patients
• Trained in Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) courses
• Communicates with neonatal, pediatric and obstetrical specialists at Children’s Health 24 hours a day
• Ambulances and teams based in Dallas and Plano
• Traveled over five million ground miles without major incident
• Travels more than 400,000 ground miles annually

Landing Zone Presentation

Our Vehicles

Ambulances: 

• 12 custom built owned and operated ambulances featuring:
• Specialty neonatal, pediatric, HROB, and ECMO equipment which is secured during all transit
• Horton ambulances mounted on Ford F 550 chassis
• Liquid spring struts- a suspension system designed to provide a more smoother ride for our most fragile patients
• Powerload stretcher loading system- A stretcher fastener system that helps boost safety by supporting the stretcher throughout the loading and unloading of the patient to ensure a smooth transition and bolting the stretcher into the floor for reduced stretcher release risk during incidents
• Ground School and Driving Course required annually for all personnel who drive
• Five point harness with retractable harness restraints to allow all medical crew to stay restrained during transport while still providing quality patient care
• Back up and blind spot cameras
• Auxiliary generator power for electrical, heating and cooling
• Global Positioning System
• Wifi for electronic charting and Telemedicine capabilities

Helicopter

• Sikorsky S76C++ 
• 2 pilot operations
• Multi-engine aircraft
• State of the art avionics
• Helicopter Terrain Awareness and Warning System (HTAWS)
• Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS)
• Four axis autopilot
• High tech weather radar and GPS tracking
• Multi-channel radio and Satellite phone
• Maximum capacity of 2 patients, 3 person medical crew, and parent as situation dictates.

Jet

• Citation Encore
• 2 pilot operations
• Multi-engine aircraft
• Straight wing design for shorter runways
• Increased fuel capacity and fuel efficient engines resulting in greater range
• 2 patient capability
• Intercom system for enhanced communication with pilots
• Satellite phone

Education Outreach

The transport team at Children’s Health also offers educational outreach opportunities for health care providers. To contact the transport team at Children’s Health for community outreach or hospital education programs, please call 214-456-2975.