Do you need a higher level of care or phone consultation?

Call our NICU Transport Team: (888) 393-NICU(6428) 

Please have the following information available:

  • Facility name
  • Name of referring physician
  • Best phone number for the referring physician
  • General patient information: Name, gender, date and time of birth, gestational age, weight
  • Purpose of the transport/consult
  • Chief diagnosis
  • Patient condition

The neonatal transport team at Loma Linda University Children's Hospital originated in 1973 with about 50 transports within that year, growing to our current program of more than 500 per year. The team represents an integral part of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and is one of the largest providers of the neonatal transport services in Southern California. We serve San Bernardino, Riverside, Mono, and Inyo counties, as well as occasionally traveling out of state. Our spirit, dedication, and commitment to the care of the smallest and sickest infants have made our transport team one the finest in the country (Brochure).

Our Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide high quality, safe, and cost-effective transport services for the neonatal patients within our region. We seek to maximize healthcare access to at-risk patients and their families, to bring intensive care to the community, and to educate other regional hospitals. We provide Christ-centered care that is reflective of the care provided by Loma Linda University Children's Hospital to enhance community awareness of the life benefits of transport.

Who We Are

Our group of specially trained nurses were given the distinction of a Transport Nurse Manager in 1986 to acknowledge and reflect their advanced clinical expertise, knowledge and clinical practice skills. Our nurses are competent in:

  • Intubation
  • Airway management
  • Umbilical line placement
  • Chest tube insertion
  • Pleural decompression and stabilization

We work closely with a team of Respiratory Therapists to give those in need access to the best possible care.

Our Leaders

Tabitha Solomon, M.D.
Rene Santiago, RNC - Coordinator, Nursing
Victor Bannis, RCP - Coordinator, Respiratory Therapy

Provision of Service

We provide 24 hour, seven day-a-week coverage. There are two teams available to be dispatched within 30 minutes from the time a transport is accepted unless otherwise pre-arranged via ambulance, helicopter, or fixed-wing aircraft. We utilize the latest technologies for those patients that require therapies including nitric oxide, therapeutic hypothermia, and high-frequency ventilation. Our team is responsible for providing medical, nursing, and respiratory care to stabilize and treat critically ill neonatal patients with conditions such as:

  • Prematurity
  • Congenital heart disease
  • Congenital anomalies
  • Sepsis
  • Respiratory distress
  • Hypoxic birth injury
  • Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension
  • Patients requiring ECMO
  • Genetic or specialty services consults

How to Arrange for a Transport

When the need for a higher level of care is identified or for phone consultations, call (888) 393-NICU(6428). Please have the following information available:

  • Facility name
  • Name of referring physician
  • Best phone number for the referring physician
  • General patient information: Name, gender, date and time of birth, gestational age, weight
  • Purpose of the transport/consult
  • Chief diagnosis
  • Patient condition

Additional Resources