Santa Clara Valley Healthcare (SCVH)’s new ambulance fleet aims to tackle challenges to access to emergency care and improving timely care for all patients.
This May, SCVH unveiled a new fleet of ambulances that will significantly improve the transport times of patients within the public healthcare system. This can include between the three public hospitals or from a hospital to a clinic, Behavioral Health, Custody Health Services, or care facilities.
VHF is proud to partner with SCVH to operationalize the fleet. Fundraising to support this effort was led by Friends of St. Louise, a part of Valley Health Foundation.
These transport vehicles will improve care and ensure that patients receive the right level of care in a timely manner. Not only does this improve the patient experience and decrease wait time, it also allows for more efficient use of beds. For example, by transporting a patient in the ICU ready for step-down care more quickly, another patient who needs an ICU bed can be admitted more quickly as well.
Of the twelve ambulances in the fleet, nine will focus on basic interfacility transfers and have been deployed since May. There is also one advanced life support ambulance, one critical care transport ambulance, and a NICU transport unit.
This NICU transport unit will transfer NICU babies that require an additional level of care from other hospitals to SCVMC’s Level IV NICU. This specialized vehicle allows the NICU team to start administering care as soon as the baby is in the transport unit. The NICU transport unit will replace an older vehicle and feature a new design that was created with the input of NICU staff. Understanding that it is a scary time for parents and families, the design was created to be friendly and welcoming.
You can see the ambulances at their unveiling here.
