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The University of New Mexico Newborn Transport Program has been in existence for 25 years, serving the families of New Mexico with critical care/specialty emergency transport of premature and sick newborn infants.

These transports take place by air or ground in New Mexico and throughout the continental United States. The UNM Newborn Transport Program was the first Newborn Specialty Program to receive the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Services (CAMTS) accreditation as a Critical Care/Specialty level which is the national "gold standard." They have maintained this standard since 1992. Providing Critical Care/Specialty level of air medical transport requires highly trained personnel and specialized equipment. The UNM Newborn Program provides at a minimum a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Physicians Assistant or another licensed provider trained in the specialty area, as required by CAMTS. The University of New Mexico Division of Neonatology has a 15 member Neonatal Transport Team to perform all neonatal transports of neonatal patients from all over New Mexico and neighboring states to the UNM Children's Hospital Newborn Intensive Care Unit. The team goes equipped to provide critical care for premature and sick infants with specialized neonatal transport isolettes. Members of the Neonatal Transport Team also transport babies upon discharge to hospitals throughout the state. The UNM Newborn Transport Team is essentially a Newborn Intensive Care Unit in the air and on the ground. The Neonatal Nurse Practitioners (NNPs) or Physicians Assistants also provide daily patient care in the NBICU , and attend high risk deliveries, ensuring ongoing maintenance of a high level of skills and knowledge necessary to care for premature and sick newborns during air medical or ground transport emergencies.

Jon Dinges, RCP, NPS with the New Mexico Newborn Transport Program at University of New Mexico was awarded the designation of “Certified Medical Transport Executive (CMTE) by the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) in May 2007 from the Medical Transport Leadership Institute . Approximately 60+ graduates of the MTLI represent the 2007 class of executives in the medical transport industry who have attained this honor. Among medical transport executives, the “CMTE” is an indication of demonstrated skill in leadership and expertise in medical transport management. To be eligible for this certification, applicants must participate in a rigorous educational program over the course of two years, pass a comprehensive written examination, and satisfactorily complete a team project related to a timely industry challenge. Certification is good for three years, during which time the certified individual must earn 30 MEUs (Management Education Units) in order to keep his/her certification current and to become recertified. The Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) is the only international trade association serving the entire air and ground medical transport community. AAMS strives to enhance the medical transport industry by promoting the highest level of industry safety; promoting quality patient care; inspiring commitment to the industry’s work, causes, and viability; and providing superior service to its members.


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