Dedicated pediatric ambulance will connect children to specialized hospital care

DETROIT (July 13, 2026) — Families whose children need specialized medical care now have access to a dedicated pediatric ambulance designed specifically for transporting babies and children between health care facilities.

The unit goes into service today with a team trained in pediatric and neonatal transport, and equipment designed for children’s medical and safety needs.

Medstar, Michigan’s largest ambulance provider, worked with Henry Ford Health’s Pediatrics team to design, build and staff the specialized ambulance. The unit will transport pediatric patients from emergency departments across metro Detroit, both within and beyond Henry Ford Health, to Henry Ford St. John Children’s Hospital on Moross Road in Detroit for specialized care.

The pediatric ambulance will also support the neonatal intensive care teams from Henry Ford Health’s Level III neonatal intensive care units as they transport newborns who require the highest level of care.

“Having a dedicated pediatric specialty care transport resource is a significant enhancement of the services we provide children and families,” said Dr. Uzma Shah, system chair of Henry Ford Health’s department of pediatrics and medical director of the pediatric service line. “This service strengthens the ability to deliver comprehensive care from the moment a child is identified as needing our services to the moment they arrive at our hospitals.”

Medstar paramedics who recently completed specialty pediatric and neonatal training at the University of Maryland Baltimore Campus will operate the specially marked vehicle.

“This program represents months of careful planning and a genuine commitment to getting it right for the children and families who will depend on it,” said Kolby Miller, Medstar president and chief executive officer. “We reviewed two years of transport data before making decisions about staffing and structure, and we built this team around the people we trust most to deliver this level of care. We’re proud of our commitment to bringing this service online, the team that will run it, and the deep clinical integration with our partner health system.”

Henry Ford Health co-owns Medstar, a nonprofit organization that provides 911 EMS, critical care, and interfacility care and service. Experts from both organizations worked together to develop the specialized pediatric transport program.

“This program is designed to grow even stronger over time,” said Heath Roberts, senior vice president of Henry Ford Health’s pediatric service line and Henry Ford St. John Children’s Hospital. “Through ongoing case reviews, clinical collaboration and continued protocol development, we will keep enhancing the service, so children and families receive the safest, most coordinated transport possible.”

MEDIA INQUIRIES: mediarelations@hfhs.org

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