NEONATAL TRANSPORT IN TEHRAN: A CAUSE FOR MUCH ...

M. Kazemian, S. H. Fakhraee, F. Zonouziaspects of neonatal transport includingcommunication, skills and knowledge of healthcare professionals, facilities, and equipment arevery inadequate and inefficient in Tehran.Considerations for policymakersWe suggest that a perinatal regionalizationprogram, as exists in many developed countries,be established as soon as possible in Iran in orderto decrease maternal-neonatal morbidity andmortality. For the time being, we recommend thefollowings:• Establishment of a centralized transport unit ineach medical university which will receive allrequests for transport from its surroundingterritory and will arrange for transport.• A good communication system betweenreferring and referral hospitals through thetransport unit.• Delivery of the required information to thereferral hospital by the referring physician.• Training of all health care professionalsresponsible for the care of neonates in neonatalstabilization and resuscitation.• Availability of well-functioning equipment forthe resuscitation and transport of the criticallyill infants.References1 Ohning BL, Driggers KP. Transport of the critically illnewborn. eMedicine, May 23, 2001. Available from:URL: http://www.eMedicine.com.2 Bose CL, Neonatal transport. In: Avery GB, FletcherMA, MacDonald MG, eds. Neonatology:Pathophysiology and Management of the Newborn. 5thed. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins; 1999:35 – 47.3 Fanaroff AA, Martin RJ. Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine:Diseases of the Fetus and Infant. 7th ed. St. Louis:Mosby; 2002: 31 – 32.4 Cloherty JP, Stark AR, Ann R. Manual of Neonatal Care.4th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott-Raven; 2004: 151 – 157.5 Klaus MH, Fanaroff AA. Care of the High-Risk Neonate.5th ed. Philadelphia: WB Saunders; 2001: 93 – 94.6 American Academy of Pediatrics and American Collegeof Obstetrics and Gynecologists. Interhospital care of theperinatal patient. In: American Academy of Pediatrics,American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists,eds. Guidelines for Perinatal Care. 5th ed. Elk GroveVillage, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics;Washington, DC: American College of Obstetricians andGynecologists; 2002: 57 – 71.7 MacCloskey K, Hackel A, Notterman D. Guidelines forair and ground transport. AAP; 1993: 146.Archives of Iranian Medicine, Volume 7, Number 4, October 2004 259