Transport Services

Ready for your call, day or night, by ground or air. The St. Louis Children's Hospital critical care transport team offers the most comprehensive and experienced pediatric, maternal-fetal and newborn transport service in the Midwest. Transportation utilizes a highly specialized fleet of Mobile Intensive Care Units (MICUs), helicopters and a fixed wing airplane.

Each transport mission is tailored to meet the needs of the child or expectant mother being transported and is staffed by a specially trained medical team. The team typically consists of two clinicians and a mobile intensive care unit (MICU) Operator. The clinician role is comprised of either 2 registered nurses or a registered nurse and critical care paramedic. The MICU Operator consists of either an Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-B) or Paramedic. Depending upon the needs of the individual, the team may also include a specialized physician or other specialist like a neonatologist or respiratory therapist

Types of Specialized Transports We Offer

• Pediatric critical care transports: Due to our high transfer volume, we have the expertise to stabilize children for transport and to provide a high level of care en route. Our state-of-the-art vehicles provide the medical equipment needed to stabilize a child, with kid-friendly additions — such as baby blankets — to make a child feel comfortable.
• ECMO transports: Patients with complex cardiac conditions and advanced lung disease requiring specialized care at Children’s are transported via a specially trained ECMO team and mobile ECMO circuit. Learn more about ECMO transports.
• Maternal-Fetal transports: Expectant moms requiring specialized transport have immediate access to a level of care unavailable through other regional transport programs. This joint effort between Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children’s hospitals features a three-person team including a high-risk obstetrical nurse to care for mom, a neonate-trained nurse to care for baby in the event of delivery, and a paramedic. Learn more about Maternal-Fetal transports.
• Neonatal transports: Infants requiring highly-specialized care, including both surgical and subspecialist consultation, are transported via a team of neonate-trained nurses and paramedics. A neonatologist is also available to accompany the team if necessary. Our team is specially equipped and prepared to initiate intensive care management in the field, including delivery of nitric oxide and high frequency modes of ventilation.
   

How to Make a Referral

Transportation appointments are made only by a referral from a physician. Physicians should call our referral line, Children’s Direct, at 1.800.678.4357 to make a referral. Learn more about arranging a transport.