Critical Care Ground Transport (CCGT)

In August 2019, Vanderbilt LifeFlight Vanderbilt LifeFlight expanded its ability to transport critically injured patients from the air to include three new specialized ambulances and personnel for critical care ground ambulance transport. If you're looking for information on our Ground EMS program, click here.

LifeFlight Critical Care Transport Team is fully CAMTS accredited. Our units are fully functional critical care transport units with all the necessary tools for advanced care, including; full monitoring of EKG/ BP/ pulse oximetry/ invasive hemodynamic values, suction, ventilator with CO2 monitoring, defibrillation, ACLS and & other medications. LifeFlight Critical Care ambulances are equipped with special tracking that allows for real-time location monitoring of our units en route and during transport. 

Our services are provided 24/7 by an AEMT, a Critical Care Paramedic, and a Critical Care Nurse or Nurse Practitioner.

Critical Care Ground specialized ambulances are based at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. On average, we respond within 150 miles of VUMC. In special circumstances, our CCGT Team will travel beyond 150 miles to ensure the patient is transported with the best care. 

Since COVID-19, one set of patients that will benefit from this mode of transport is those that need Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) treatment. This specialized procedure uses a pump to circulate blood through an artificial lung back into the bloodstream. ECMO acts as an artificial heart and lung for the patient during ECMO therapy. Vanderbilt LifeFlight Critical Care Transport and the Vanderbilt ECMO Teams work together to get your patient the care they need. Whether it is bedside canulation at your facility or transport to our facility for cannulation.

Our teams are highly trained to manage critically ill patients that include but not limited to:

• Full Mechanical Ventilation with Hamilton T1 ventilators
• Heated & humidified High Flow Nasal Cannula (all age groups)
• Cardiac assist devices - VAD/Impella
• Intra Aortic balloon pump (IABP)
• Temporary internal/external pacemaker
• Blood/Plasma products carried on every unit
• Invasive line monitoring to include Swan-Ganz; arterial, central venous, and intracranial pressure.
• Ability to complete point-of-care testing capabilities, including ABG/VBG, blood chemistries, hemoglobin, and hematocrit.
• Chest tube placement, pericardiocentesis
• Multiple ICU/Critical Care infusion management with Alaris Pumps

To Request Critical Care Ground Transport Call: 1-866-803-4307

Have the following information ready (if available)

• Patient Name
• Date of Birth
• Patient weight and height
• Diagnosis and location of the patient
• Hemodynamic status
• Assist devices being used, Intravenous infusions, or mechanical ventilation.
• Transferring facility location 
• Insurance information (face sheet)
• Accepting Physician
• Any special equipment we need to bring? (IABP, Pacer, etc.)  

Critical Care Ground Transport can be arranged by any transferring facility calling 1-866-803-4307

Click here to download a PDF brochure that explains our CCGT program.

311A.032 Posting of fee schedules of licensed ambulance providers -- Report -- Modification -- Penalty -- Administrative regulations.

1. (1)  Each licensed ambulance provider, as defined in KRS 311A.010, shall:

   (a) Post in a conspicuous area of the main office, any satellite location, and on the company Web site, if the company hosts or otherwise maintains a Web site itself or through contract with another party, a comprehensive fee schedule of all services provided that is consistent with the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS). The fee schedule shall:

   1. Clearly identify fees for services including base rates, mileage, disposable supply fees, and any other potential fees for services provided; and

   2. Be documented in understandable language with sufficient explanation to allow consumers to draw meaningful comparisons of fees among licensed ambulance providers;

   (b) Provide a copy of this fee schedule to a beneficiary at the time of service upon request;

   (c) Update fee schedules within fifteen (15) calendar days of any modification; and

   (d) Submit a report of an initial ambulance provider fee schedule and any subsequent modifications to the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services. The report shall be subject to open records requests under KRS 61.870 to 61.884.

2. (2)  The Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services shall:

   1. (a)  Assess a licensed ambulance provider a monetary penalty of one hundred fifty dollars ($150) per occurrence for failure to post or update a modified fee schedule as required under subsection (1) of this section; and

   2. (b)  Issue a statement of violation consistent with administrative regulations promulgated by the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services.

3. (3)  The Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services shall promulgate administrative regulations to implement the provisions of this section.

   Effective: July 14, 2018
   History: Created 2018 Ky. Acts ch. 79, sec. 1, effective July 14, 2018.