A seamless transport of infants from a referring hospital to a higher level neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) enables each patient to benefit from the regionalization and specialization of critical care personnel and services. Clear guidelines and a transport algorithm must be established regarding transport procedures, personnel, and necessary equipment. The goals of an infant transport are:
Provide early stabilization and initiation of advanced care at a referring institution.
Continue critical care therapies and monitoring during transport to ensure safety and a positive neonatal outcome.