OHSU PANDA Pediatric and Neonatal Transport

OHSU PANDA is the pediatric and neonatal transport team of OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland, Oregon. It is a hospital programme. The team moves critically ill or injured children by air or ground to Doernbecher.

Services

The goal is to stabilize a child so the child can return to the home hospital. The team can give resuscitation and other emergency care inside an aircraft or ambulance. It works with EMTs from its transport partners. Doernbecher also offers TelePICU and TeleNICU links for referring hospitals.

Aircraft and crew

The site says the team uses a pediatric ambulance and FAA certified planes and helicopters. The page does not name the company that flies them. Each transport has a registered nurse, a respiratory therapist and an EMT. The crew stays in touch with a Doernbecher doctor who has transport and critical care experience.

Who it is for

The service is for hospitals that need to transfer a child or a newborn who needs intensive care. The site says it responds based on the child's condition, aircraft or ambulance availability, weather, travel time and other transport options.

How a request works

A hospital that calls reaches a specialist in pediatric or neonatal intensive care. That person asks about the diagnosis, symptoms, vital signs, treatment, labs, imaging, and any need for surgery or blood products. When the child arrives, specialists meet the patient and an operating room is ready if needed. The referring hospital gets an update within 24 hours of arrival.

The team gives a stuffed panda to each child it moves. Referring hospitals can sign up for EpicCare Link to get secure updates on their patient.

Facts

• Run by OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital.
• The team has nearly 20 registered nurses and respiratory therapists.
• The site says the team leaves within 15 minutes once a transport is accepted.
• The site says PANDA is accredited by CAMTS.
• A specialist in pediatric or neonatal intensive care answers requests.