Dell Children's Critical Care Transport

The Dell Children's critical care transport team is a hospital programme of Dell Children's Medical Center in Austin, Texas. It moves critically ill babies and children to the hospital's Central and North campuses. The team flies and drives with partner companies.

Services

The team connects children to neonatal and pediatric services at Dell Children's. It works with the referring provider to understand the child's needs before arrival. The site says each transport has a registered nurse and a registered respiratory therapist. Ambulance, helicopter and airplane are set up to work as a mobile intensive care unit.

Aircraft and partners

The site names STARFlight for helicopters, American Medical Response for ground transport and AirMed International for long distance flights on fixed wing airplanes. The team picks the way to travel by how sick the child is, distance, time of day, doctor preference and weather.

Coverage area

The team serves 46 counties in Central Texas. The site says it also travels out of state when a child needs a higher level of care.

What families can expect

The site says one parent can usually ride along. On helicopter and airplane flights the pilot makes the final decision, and space is very limited. Families are asked to stay with the child until the transport team arrives. The transfer center for referring providers is open 24 hours a day, every day, and handles NICU, PICU, ECMO and trauma transfers.

Training and updates

The nurse and respiratory therapist are trained in pediatric life support, newborn resuscitation, advanced airways and trauma care. For critical patients, the team stays in contact with a pediatric or newborn intensive care doctor.

Facts

• Run by Dell Children's Medical Center, part of Ascension.
• Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, per the site.
• The site says the team is accredited by CAMTS.
• Campuses: 4900 Mueller Blvd and 9010 North Lake Creek Pkwy, Austin.