Neonatal transport system using each of the regional transport incubators in East Gifu prefecture

Abstract

We have been transporting neonates from another clinic using our hospital’s own ambulance. Unfortunately, our ambulance could not run anymore, so we changed the areal neonatal transport system as described herein. Transport incubators are placed in each of the related facilities. According to clinical information from the maternity clinic, severe cases are round-trip transported on fire department ambulance ride with pediatrician. The cases that are not severe cases are transported as follows. At weekday daytime, a pediatrician goes to the maternity clinic by a taxi and return to our hospital on a regional fire department ambulance. At night-time and holidays, the maternity clinic staff transports neonates on a regional ambulance without a pediatrician. After this operational change, slight increase was noted in the transport time, with no severity misjudgment or sudden exacerbation during the transport by the maternity clinic staff. One way transport by the maternity clinic staff reduces in the total transport time. Although it is necessary to consider regional circumstances, this system may be one of the solutions for institutions that do not have their own ambulance.