WHAT:
Nationwide Children’s Hospital Dedicates New Helicopter
Helicopter dedicated to neonatal and pediatric transports receives official blessing; up-close look at new aircraft
WHEN:
Wednesday, January 30
*10:15 a.m. best media opportunity
**Weather depending, the helicopter should land around 10 a.m.
WHERE:
Nationwide Children’s Hospital
630 Children’s Drive
Columbus, OH 43205
*Ceremony will take place inside the new main hospital; the helicopter will be located in the former KFC lot on the Southeast corner of Parson’s and Livingston Avenues; media rep will escort you over to the aircraft to allow for close-up video/photo
** Parking for media representatives is available in the parking lot on the west side of Parsons Avenue, between the Orthopedic Center at 479 Parsons Avenue and the new Research Building III. Turn west onto Children's Crossroads from Parsons Avenue and then turn right into the parking lot. Park in the spots closest to Parson's Avenue. From there, walk across Parsons Avenue to the main entrance of the new hospital where a media rep will meet you at the Welcome Desk and provide you with a token to exit the parking lot.
WHO:
Dr. Steve Allen, CEO, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Dr. Edward Shepherd, section chief of Neonatology
Rev. Susan Kyser, director of Pastoral Care
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Nationwide Children’s Hospital is expanding its critical care transport services by establishing a fully dedicated helicopter for neonatal and pediatric transports. The state-of-the-art EC145 helicopter, named Monarch 1, features the best in size, performance and technology allowing for the safe transportation of critically ill patients. With approximately 30 percent of all neonatal admissions to Nationwide Children’s requiring a drive of more than an hour, the addition of this aircraft allows the hospital’s dedicated neonatal and pediatric transport team to initiate specialized critical care services more quickly. The helicopter will primarily transport neonates, but will also be available for hospital transports of pediatric patients.
On Wednesday, January 30, Rev. Susan Kyser, director of Pastoral Care, will officially dedicate Monarch 1 to bless both the helicopter and the hands of the transport team who will be working with it. This is also an opportunity for staff to have an up-close look at the new aircraft before it goes into service and meet the staff who will be operating the aircraft.
The Transport Program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital provides 24 hour neonatal and pediatric critical care transport services via mobile ICU, helicopter and jet aircraft to more than 1,800 patients each year, with more than half of those being newborns. The award-winning team is one of the few in the country capable of transporting neonates on nitric oxide therapy and high-frequency oscillation at the same time. The team is comprised of 68 RN’s, respiratory therapists and transport technicians (all EMT-P certified), and EMT-drivers with an average of 14 years of critical care experience. The Transport Program was recently awarded the 2011 National Award of Excellence from the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) and is one of two children’s hospitals in Ohio to receive the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS) Accreditation. Our teams work closely with our medical directors and medical control physicians, and all medical care is driven by a combination of medical director approved protocols and guidelines, and on-line medical control via telephone during the transport process. The transport program provides critical care inter-facility transportation, 24-hours a day 7-days a week. The team provides transportation combined with a high level of care to critically ill patients from referring hospitals to Nationwide Children’s Hospital to receive specialty care. On occasion the team provides “reverse” transportation to referring hospitals after receiving care at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
CONTACT PRIOR TO EVENT AND DAY-OF:
Erin Pope
Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Marketing and Public Relations
(614) 562-1382