Children First: UPMC Pinnacle Foundation Helps Launch Pediatric-Only ICU Transport Team

We're incredibly proud to announce a huge leap forward in critical care for our tiniest patients! UPMC Children's in Harrisburg has expanded its transport services to include dedicated ground and air transport for critically ill pediatric and neonatal patients. Building on decades of experience, our specialized NICU/PICU transport team — the first of its kind in the region — brings the ICU directly to children, ensuring immediate, specialized care during transfer. As Dr. Carey Welsh shares, "We are a pediatric/neonatal ICU on wheels!"

The team has transported over 130 children this year alone and unlike other services in the region, this team does not transport adults, highlighting its sole commitment to children's care. A huge thank you to the UPMC Pinnacle Foundation for donating the ambulance to the team and assisting in outfitting the isolette, which is a clear plastic enclosed crib designed to create a controlled and stable environment for newborns, particularly for premature or critically ill infants.