UPMC Children's in Harrisburg unveils NICU/PICU transport service

HARRISBURG, Pa. — UPMC Children's, located at UPMC Harrisburg, has unveiled the region's first NICU/PICU transport service.

The transport is an expansion of the UPMC NICU transport to now include pediatric ICU patients. The NICU/PICU transport exclusively focuses on pediatric and neonatal patients.

The announcement is especially timely, as it coincides with National EMS Week.  

“Pediatric and neonatal patients have different care needs compared to adult patients,” said Rebecca Smith, M.D., pediatric intensivist at UPMC Children’s in Harrisburg. “The transport ambulance is specifically designed and dedicated to our youngest patients and is equipped with all the necessary medical resources to begin treatment at the bedside and during the transfer. As a result of the care they receive from this team, patients often arrive at the hospital in better condition than they were in before transfer. Skilled pediatric and neonatal experts on the transport team take over the care of these patients guided by our Harrisburg NICU and PICU physicians before they are transferred to the pediatric and neonatal units, creating a higher level of care outside of the Harrisburg campus.”   

The transport is co-managed by Smith and Carey Welsh, M.D., a neonatologist at UPMC Harrisburg. 

Each transport team consists of six registered nurses and one clinician who work in a 24-hour rotation, UPMC said. Every member has been trained at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and either have backgrounds in NICU or PICU.

“This latest expansion of the UPMC NICU transport team to include pediatric ICU patients has led to the region's first dedicated NICU/PICU transport team that consists solely of neonatal and pediatric registered nurses and clinicians who have received specialized training at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh to care for young patients during transport," UPMC said. "This team’s focus is dedicated exclusively on transporting critically ill pediatric and neonatal patients.”

“Quick access to a critically ill child is the top priority for the transport team,” said Welsh. “Rapid access to specialized care can significantly improve a child's chances of survival and recovery. Unlike regular ambulances, our service delivers the entire NICU and PICU directly to the patient, ensuring that critical care is available immediately upon arrival and during the transfer. In short, we are a pediatric/neonatal ICU on wheels.” 

The transport features a transport isolette for infants as well as ventilators, infusion pumps and more for children. UPMC Children’s in Harrisburg collaborates with Community LifeTeam EMS for ground transport. When air transport is necessary, the team coordinates with the STAT MedEvac team to ensure safe and efficient transport. 

"This latest expansion of the UPMC NICU transport team to include pediatric ICU patients has led to the region's first dedicated NICU/PICU transport team that consists solely of neonatal and pediatric registered nurses and clinicians who have received specialized training at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh to care for young patients during transport.," the press release said. "This team’s focus is dedicated exclusively on transporting critically ill pediatric and neonatal patients.”

The ambulance was donated by the UPMC Pinnacle Foundation. The foundation also helped outfit the isolette.

“We are incredibly thankful to the UPMC Pinnacle Foundation for their dedication to the health and well-being of our community,” said Welsh. “Their generous donation of an ambulance and their invaluable support in securing the outfitting of the isolette allow us to provide the highest level of care for infants and their families. This incubator is a vital addition, creating a controlled and stable environment for our most vulnerable newborns, particularly those who are premature or ill.” 

Click here to learn more about UPMC Children's in Harrisburg.