If your child needs to be transferred by the Emergency Transport Program at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), it helps to know what to expect and what specialized care they'll receive along the way.

Transport process

We have several ways we can transport patients, including ambulances, helicopters and planes. We decide which way we'll transport a patient based on things like how sick the child is and how far we need to travel.

While most transports are for patients coming into CHOP, some are outgoing transport of medically complex patients to other facilities.

The communication center for our transport team has specialists who gather information about patients and handle referrals from doctors.

What to expect during transport

We let a parent go with their child whenever possible.

If the child is being transported by plane, the pilot will decide if a parent can go. The pilot takes into consideration how sick the child is, how many seats are free, and how heavy the plane and people are. In many cases it is easier and safer to bring a parent along in a car or other ground transport.

When your child arrives at CHOP, they will be brought to our Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Newborn/Infant Intensive Care Unit (N/IICU), Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU), Emergency Department, or an appropriate inpatient unit where they can receive the highly specialized care they need.