The sound of helicopter blades chopping through the air will be a common occurrence at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus now that the hospital’s helipad has been activated and staff has been trained on how to receive a patient arriving via air transport.
“We are very excited about the opportunity to have helicopters land at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus,” said Dr. Jeanine Graf, the hospital’s chief medical officer. “It’s been an innovative first for Texas Children’s to begin bringing in children via rotacraft helicopter transport.”
Previously, patients coming to West Campus via helicopter would land at an adjoining facility and then be brought to Texas Children’s via ambulance. Having access to the hospital’s helipad will allow for faster transport and subsequently quicker treatment.
“It’s one more way for us to be there for every child no matter what their needs are,” Graf said, adding that all four predominant helicopter services in southeast Texas now know they can bring patients to Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus. In the near future, they also will be able to land at Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands and on the roof of Pediatric Tower E in the Medical Center.
Since late October, four patients have been brought to West Campus via the hospital’s helipad and many more are expected. Before activating the helipad, West Campus received between 10 and 20 helicopter transports a month from nearby facilities. “Now that patients can be brought straight to West Campus’ doorstep, there’s sure to be more and we are happy to be able to serve them,” Graf said.