Interhospital Transport of Children by Personal Vehicle vs Ambulance: What Do Caregivers Value?

Purpose: Most children seeking emergency care are initially evaluated in community emergency departments. For those requiring secondary transport to a tertiary care center for further management, interhospital transport via ambulance or patient’s own vehicle (POV) is considered depending on a patient’s clinical acuity and physiologic stability. For low-acuity patients, medical practitioners commonly cite family-centered barriers to pediatric transport by POV, including concerns about caregiver preference, compliance, and general comfort with the transport process. …