The AirMed Perinatal Team at University of Utah Health has been honored with the Neonatal/Pediatric Transport Award of Excellence by the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS). This prestigious national award recognizes the team’s outstanding contributions to neonatal and pediatric transport services.
The award highlights the team’s innovative integration of the AirMed Perinatal flight program, along with University of Utah Health’s TeleNICU virtual care program, creating a rapid-response model that delivers expert neonatal care to rural communities. This approach bridges critical gaps in access and improves outcomes for high-acuity patients.
Through TeleNICU, the AirMed Perinatal Team uses advanced technology to provide real-time visual assessments and clinical support, enabling informed decision-making under the guidance of a neonatologist. Team members also receive hands-on training at University of Utah Hospital’s Level 3 NICU, working directly with the most acute patients to maintain peak skill and performance.
“This award really speaks to the team’s excellence—to their initiative and their drive to be the best they possibly can,” said Kelli Lund, MD, medical director of the AirMed Perinatal Team and director of the TeleNICU Program at University of Utah Health. “They hold themselves accountable to being at the peak of their performance and skill level.”
AAMS praised the team’s impact, stating:
“Dr. Lund and the University of Utah’s AirMed Neonatal Team have revolutionized neonatal transport and care, building a scalable model that elevates health care standards across the region. Their work represents an outstanding contribution to the field and a powerful example of innovation in action.”
The AAMS award recognizes excellence in areas such as safety, education, leadership, and patient advocacy within the medical transport community. Recipients are selected based on demonstrated impact and documented achievements in these categories.
“The dedication of Dr. Lund and the AirMed flight team has not only transformed patient transport and care but also created a sustainable model for improving health care in rural communities,” said Eric Swanson, MD, medical director of AirMed at University of Utah Health.
About University of Utah Health’s AirMed Perinatal Program
AirMed began operations on June 16, 1978, originally transporting newborns across the Salt Lake Valley. In 2010, a dedicated Perinatal Team was introduced to serve high-risk obstetric and neonatal patients.
Today, AirMed covers one of the largest geographical areas of any flight program in the nation and is one of the few with a dedicated helicopter to a perinatal care team. It’s staffed 24/7 with a high-risk obstetric nurse, neonatal nurse, and perinatal/adult respiratory therapist to transfer critically ill newborns and high-risk pregnant patients from any hospital to wherever optimal care exists. The team averages 17 years of experience, with advanced ICU training and expertise in interventions such as cooling for hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), inhaled nitric oxide, central line placement, intubation, and high-frequency mechanical ventilation.
Over the past four years, TeleNICU at University of Utah Health has expanded across four telehealth sites in Utah. Through the program, AirMed perinatal nurses access a HIPAA-compliant app where they can conduct real-time visual inspection of patients—becoming involved in their care before they take flight.
“Care begins before we get to the patient,” Lund said. “The program is focused on getting babies to where they need to go regardless of the health care system. We’re serving all patients in all corners.”
The AirMed Perinatal team is staffed 24/7 with a high-risk obstetric nurse, neonatal nurse, and perinatal/adult respiratory therapist.
AirMed Perinatal team members tend to a young patient mid-flight.
AirMed Perinatal team members Abby Nelson, Aimee Jensen, and Deb Aland.
Perinatal team members load a young patient onto AirMed for transport.
Perinatal team members assist a young patient during transport on AirMed.