Le Bonheur revs up new high-tech ambulances
Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital Pedi-Flite team member Emily Wood gives a tour of the hospital’s new ambulance May 23. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)
Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital on Friday, May 23, unveiled two new high-tech ambulances, part of a plan to replace aging units that have logged more than 250,000 miles.
The units, called pediatric mobile intensive-care transport vehicles, each took 18-24 months to complete. Both are custom designed for pediatric and neonatal transport and critical care.
Dr. Trey Eubanks, Le Bonheur president and surgeon-in-chief, said they are “fully equipped to take care of the tiniest babies — premature infants to trauma patients to severely ill patients with pneumonia — from all across our community.”
The ambulances are outfitted with ventilators, IV pumps, ultrasound capabilities, critical-care monitors and incubators for premature babies and have satellite and cellular communications, climate control and backup systems.
“These kind of vehicles you hope you never need but you’re grateful that they’re here for you,” said Dr. Rudy Kink, medical director of Pedi-Flite, Le Bonheur’s critical-care transport team.
Le Bonheur is the region’s primary Level 1 pediatric-trauma center, and Pedi-Flite has bases in Memphis and Jackson, Tennessee, and Jonesboro, Arkansas.
Each year, the 60-person Pedi-Flite team responds to about 2,000 calls from across Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas. About 90% are ground transports while helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft make up around 10%.
“Through this team we are able to provide Le Bonheur’s expertise to our partner hospitals when called on to transport patients here for care,” Eubanks said.
Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital President Dr. Trey Eubanks speaks during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the hospital’s new ambulances May 23. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)
Every ground transport includes a three-person crew made up of a pediatric and neonatal critical-care nurse, respiratory therapist and a paramedic, all whom are specially trained in pediatric critical care.
The new units help ensure Le Bonheur maintains at least four fully operational ambulances ready at all times.
First announced in 2023, the ambulances were funded by nearly $1 million U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., secured for Le Bonheur through the congressional appropriations process.
Cohen’s father had been a pediatrician at the hospital, and on Friday, the Pedi-Flite team made Cohen an honorary team member and presented him with a lapel wing pin.
“I thank Le Bonheur for what they do and what they bring to our community,” he said.
Topics
Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital Dr. Trey Eubanks Dr. Rudy Kink U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen ambulanceAisling Mäki
Aisling Mäki covers health care, banking and finance, technology and professions. After launching her career in news two decades ago, she worked in public relations for almost a decade before returning to journalism in 2022.
As a health care reporter, she’s collaborated with The Carter Center, earned awards from the Associated Press and Society of Professional Journalists and won a 2024 Tennessee Press Association first-place prize for her series on discrepancies in Shelby County life expectancy by ZIP code.
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