The hospital can be a scary place, especially for children and their families. That’s why our mission extends beyond our hospital walls. AdventHealth Foundation West Florida is seeking your support in raising funds to purchase an ambulance that will offer leading-edge care for our youngest patients, new moms and their families.
Currently, when an AdventHealth caregiver requests a transfer for a baby to another health care facility for higher level of care, they are required to wait in queue for the next outside NICU ambulance service available, ones also servicing other hospitals. With this addition to our transport fleet, we will be able to serve our maternal, neonate and pediatric patients when minutes matter most. Beyond this lifesaving time gained, what makes this ambulance different than any other in Tampa Bay is that it will be equipped to transport both mom and newborn, together as patients if needed. No other transport in our region offers this type of maternal/neonate ambulance. It will also be equipped with a specialized incubator (isolette) — crucial care for transporting NICU newborns. On average, 1,000 babies and children are transported by ambulance yearly in West Florida from AdventHealth facilities, so this will be an excellent addition to the services we provide, especially in moments when our community needs it the most.
