Interhospital transport. A pediatric perspective.

Interhospital transport of children must not be undertaken in a vacuum. Basic medical ethics and federal laws demand that there be some responsibility in providing adequate care during the transport process, and that this care meets or exceeds the level provided by the referring hospital. The care provided must also be appropriate to the severity of illness of the transported children. National guidelines and standards are needed to establish and coordinate a uniform interhospital transport process for critically ill children.