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Significant preparation is required for efficient, quality, and safe transport
services. The users of a transport system (the referral hospitals and providers)
must ensure the selected transport services meet the standards required for the
transfer of their patients. It is incumbent on the referring providers to ensure
medical stability to the best of their abilities to ensure the safest possible transport
of the patient.
There are several groups and resources dedicated to promoting safe transport
practice. The Section on Transport Medicine within the American Academy of
Pediatrics (AAP) offers a wealth of transport-related information and education.
Other groups, such as the Air Medical Physicians Association (AMPA) and the
Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) are dedicated to ensuring optimal
care for transported patients. Transport organizations such as these offer
continuing education and are conduits for information regarding Transport
Medicine. The AAP has multiple published resources including the “Guidelines
for Air and Ground Transport of Neonatal and Pediatric Patients, 4th edition” and
the more recently published the “Field Guide for Air and Ground Transport of
Neonatal and Pediatric Patients: A Quick Reference for Transport Team.” In
addition, a useful pediatric transport Listserv is and
is available through .

TRANSPORT CONSIDERATIONS
Familiarity with the transport environment, and the ability to troubleshoot as
necessary, is critical for the successful transport of a patient. Therefore, acutely
configuring/staffing a transport team in response to an unexpected request for
patient transport should be avoided; adequate preparation and training is
mandatory. Transport-specific logistical issues to consider include specialized
providers with the need for close teamwork and communication, transport durable
equipment, ample available medication supplies, unique oxygen delivery systems
and limited supplemental oxygen supply, the ability to intervene in a cramped
mobile environment, the need to safely secure the patient to the stretcher and the
stretcher to the transport vehicle, appropriate monitoring in a moving vehicle or

aircraft, understanding of inverter power and backup battery power, and
personnel safety under sometimes challenging transport conditions.
Noise, vibration, and temperature can be formidable problems for the patients
and providers alike, if not anticipated. Motion sickness (air and ground) can be
quite problematic for non–transport-acclimated personnel. Ideally, transport
personnel should be cognizant of their capabilities to tolerate the rigors of