New CoxHealth Children’s Ambulance provides state-of-the-art care for young patients

Today, CoxHealth unveiled a brand new Children’s Ambulance that will continue providing high-quality transport to young patients and families around southwest Missouri.

For nearly 40 years, CoxHealth has provided safe transport care to families around the region with the previous children’s transport ambulance. The new Children’s Ambulance, which will replace the older ambulance, is equipped with improved technology to allow CoxHealth to better serve these patients.

“The Children’s transport has played an important role since the 1980s and impacted countless families across the region,” says Beth Polivka, chief nursing officer at CoxHealth. “The new technology and services in the Children’s Ambulance will build upon that legacy and provide high-quality care for children across our communities.”

The Children’s Ambulance is dedicated to the care of the smallest patients in our population and transports patients from hospitals around the region to Cox South in Springfield.

“Our hope is that the Children’s Ambulance provides some comfort and reassurance to parents during a stressful time. Families can be confident that our team has the most up to date tools to care for their children. The technology and features of the ambulance ensure that we can safely stabilize and transport children in need in our community.” says Dr. Laura Cerny, physician and medical director of the NICU at CoxHealth.

The Children’s Ambulance is equipped with specific technology and supplies to serve the youngest patients. It also includes staff that have unique experience to serve these patients.

“The CoxHealth crew that serves on the Children’s Ambulance includes colleagues across EMS, NICU and respiratory, and they represent the collaboration we practice every day to serve patients across the system,” says Darren Bass, VP of clinical services at CoxHealth. “These team members specialize in caring for children, and we’re excited that this new ambulance will better equip them to serve this population.”

The ambulance teams consist of an EMS member, registered nurse and a respiratory therapist, and periodically a nurse practitioner. 

The transport ambulance was funded by generous supporters from around the Ozarks through contributions to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals at CoxHealth.

“I’m proud of the colleagues across the CoxHealth system that contributed their time and resources to ensure we are providing the best care possible to our patients,” says Amanda Hedgpeth, president of Springfield hospitals at CoxHealth. “The Children’s Ambulance’s positive impact will be felt through the lives of healthy children for years to come.”

The new Children’s Ambulance begins service on September 26.