Emergency flight responders will connect with Wesley Children’s Hospital experts while providing advanced care to critically injured or sick kids
WICHITA – In an effort to better serve the critically-ill and injured pediatric patients in Kansas and the surrounding states, Wesley Healthcare has entered into a pediatric patient transfer agreement with two Kansas-based helicopter transport companies which should improve patient outcomes and the quality of care.
Medical education, training, collaboration and quality are at the center of the transport agreement. As part of the agreement, Wesley will provide advanced training, called Pediatric Fundamental Critical Care Support (P-FCCS), to nurses and paramedics from the transport companies. The goal is to have at least one provider on every flight who has been trained in this advanced pediatric critical care program.
“In discussing this idea with our air transport companies over a year ago, they were eager to collaborate,” said James Stepien, vice president of business development for Wesley Healthcare. “They appreciate the chance to train next to our pediatric intensive care team, strengthening that relationship and ultimately raising the level of care for pediatric transfers.”
Medical education, training, collaboration and quality are at the center of the agreement, which would also allow flight staff to participate in several 12-hour shifts in the Wesley Children’s Hospital Emergency Department and its Pediatric Intensive Care unit.
“Emergency departments, intensive care units and air medical settings have a different set of challenges when it comes to pediatric patient care,” said Frank Williams, director of clinical operations at LifeSave Transport. “The more we train together, the better both care teams in the critical care equation understand each other’s capabilities, which ultimately leads to better patient care outcomes.”
To further provide consistent quality protocols for every patient, Wesley board certified pediatric physicians will be involved in medical oversight of all pediatric transfers. This is important because Wesley medical providers already will have been directing the patient’s care team during transport, reducing the need to spend extra time on medical history, patient reports and information gathering.
“When the patient arrives at the hospital, the physician has already been involved in the patient care and the appropriate treatment has already begun,” Stepien said. “Having medical control stretches the effectiveness of the hospital and places it at the scene of the patient. This means faster access to care for the patient and elevates the level, service and quality of care.”
The P-FCCS course introduces principles important in the initial care of critically ill or injured pediatric patients and educates physicians, nurses and other healthcare providers who are not specialized in pediatric critical care, but who must care for critical pediatric patients. The course meets these goals by providing a balance of didactic lectures and hands‐on skills stations, while building on participants’ basic pediatric knowledge. The physicians at Wesley Healthcare are the only providers in the state of Kansas who can teach P‐FCCS.