Cincinnati Children’s will launch a dedicated helicopter transport service in February to improve access for critically ill pediatric patients.
The organization will partner with Denver-based Air Methods, which owns and operates medical transport helicopters nationwide, to provide the aircraft and pilot, according to a Dec. 3 news release.
A critical care registered nurse and respiratory therapist employed by Cincinnati Children’s will staff the helicopter, with a physician joining as needed.
The transport team at Cincinnati Children’s Access Hub will coordinate the flights. The access hub recently opened at the system’s Burnet Campus to improve care coordination and patient flow across the system’s three hospital campuses and more than 50 care sites.
“Having a dedicated helicopter service will help us expedite the safe transfer of hundreds of neonatal and pediatric patients from outlying areas,” Rich Falcone, MD, a pediatric surgeon and the system’s chief of staff, said in the release. “The time it takes to transport kids from distant parts of Ohio or nearby states will be cut in half or more with this new service, and specialized care will begin as soon as our team arrives.”
