Transport Services

Indiana University Health LifeLine is a transport service for critically ill or injured patients. Our ground transport units and helicopters bring children and infants to Riley at IU Health from across Indiana and beyond.

Our team of emergency care transport professionals provides lifesaving care using specialized equipment and advanced procedures before patients reach the hospital. Our team includes registered nurses, paramedics and registered respiratory therapists. All crew members are certified in either pediatric critical care and/or flight medicine.

We transport children with all types of complex and severe conditions, including:

Traumatic brain injury
Septic shock
Congenital heart disease
Acute respiratory distress syndrome

IU Health LifeLine has priority access to Indiana’s only Level I Pediatric Trauma Center at Riley at IU Health. Our transport services operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

What to Expect

The IU Health LifeLine team lets you know what to expect throughout the transport. You will receive updates from the team—typically upon your child’s arrival at Riley at IU Health—on what care your child is receiving and how your child is responding.

Our team carefully assesses your child and then connects any equipment that may be needed, including:

Invasive and noninvasive cardiorespiratory monitoring
Newborn or pediatric ventilator
Transport nitric oxide
Chest drainage system
Central venous catheter
Cervical spine immobilization equipment

Your child may also receive emergency medicines.

The IU Health LifeLine crew is able to communicate directly with a pediatric intensivist (intensive care unit doctor) at Riley at IU Health during transport.

In some cases, family members are able to ride with their child during transport.

Key Points to Remember

IU Health LifeLine operates ground and air transport units, making lifesaving care available to children and infants in Indiana and beyond.
Our transport services are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and have priority access to Indiana’s only Level I Pediatric Trauma Center.
IU Health LifeLine crews include highly trained registered nurses, paramedics and registered respiratory therapists who have certification in pediatric critical care or flight medicine.

Locations

In addition to our primary hospital location at the Academic Health Center in Indianapolis, IN, we have convenient locations to better serve our communities throughout the state.