A newly expanded neonatal medical transport service is improving access to Iowa’s only Level 4 neonatal intensive care unit at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital, the hospital announced. Since it was established last July, the neonatal medical transport service has successfully completed 193 transports from communities across the state, among them Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Ottumwa, the Quad Cities and others. “The reason you need a dedicated pediatric transport team is to ensure that critically ill babies and children have a way to be safely transported to specialists for their care,” said Patrick McNamara, director of neonatology. UI Stead Family Children’s has one of the highest survival rates in the country for preemies born at 22 weeks, with a 60% survival rate, four times the national average of 15%, McNamara said. More information about the service is available at this link.