Network gives children top priority

Area of Science:

• Pediatric healthcare networks
• Healthcare systems research
• Emergency medical services

Background:

• Critically ill infants and children in South and West Texas often require specialized care not available locally.
• Long transfer times can negatively impact patient outcomes for critically ill pediatric patients.
• Coordinated regional healthcare networks can potentially improve access to specialized pediatric services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of the South Texas Regional Pediatric Network on patient transfer times.
• To assess the effectiveness of a regional pediatric network in improving access to critical care.

Main Methods:

• The South Texas Regional Pediatric Network was established as a collaboration between San Antonio's Children's Hospital and 21 other hospitals.
• The network facilitates the transfer of critically ill infants and children.
• Data on transfer times was collected and analyzed.

Main Results:

• The South Texas Regional Pediatric Network significantly reduced critical patient transfer times.
• This network improves the delivery of specialized pediatric care across a wide geographic area.

Conclusions:

• Regional pediatric networks are effective in reducing transfer times for critically ill children.
• The South Texas Regional Pediatric Network serves as a vital resource, potentially saving lives by improving access to specialized pediatric care.