News Releases

Southfield, Mich., Nov 20, 2024 - Pediatric patients from Corewell Health now have improved access to the most advanced level of critical care, thanks to a new partnership which utilizes PANDA One, a pediatric ambulance service, owned and operated by Children’s Hospital of Michigan.

PANDA One, a Pediatric and Neonatal Dedicated Ambulance Service, is the only staffed and dedicated pediatric ambulance transport team in the state of Michigan.

“Through this partnership, Corewell Health Children’s patients in Southeast Michigan in need of more advanced care, can receive transport from PANDA One’s intensive care ambulance team to the facility most suited to address their needs,” said Mathew Denenberg, M.D., chief of pediatrics, Corewell Health Children’s. “We are thrilled to become the first health system in the state to partner with PANDA One and Children’s Hospital of Michigan.”

Founded on July 1, 1985, at Children’s Hospital of Michigan, the PANDA One team annually transfers more than 1,000 critically ill children and babies in need of a higher level of care from hospitals and doctor’s offices throughout Michigan, Windsor and Northwest Ohio

“This will allow the most critically ill infants and children in our region to quickly reach the
highest level of expert care available,” said Children’s Hospital of Michigan CEO Archie Drake. “Children’s Hospital of Michigan and the PANDA One team are excited to support Corewell Health in this new partnership.”

Panda One team members are certified in:

• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support.
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support
• Neonatal Resuscitation Program
• Basic Life Support
• Neonatal Pediatric Transport
• Advanced Burn Life Support
• Neonatal Pediatric Transport

“When families are facing scary medical situations with their kids, they can be assured the PANDA One team is providing the highest level of lifesaving, expert care,” said Sally Piwko, MSN, RN, manager of Patient Care Services at Children’s Hospital of Michigan. “The PANDA One team cares for our patients like they are our own, and we are grateful to offer this support to families in their time of need.”

“It’s a comfort to know that while in transport our critically ill babies and children are receiving care from professionals specially trained to meet their needs,” said Kristine Donahue, hospital president, Corewell Health Taylor Hospital.

Under the new partnership, the majority of Corewell Health pediatric patients will be transported from Corewell Health hospitals and doctors’ offices to advanced care pediatric centers at Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital in Royal Oak, Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital and Corewell Health Dearborn Hospital. Children and babies requiring the expert care of a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center; a specialized Burn Unit; a Level 4 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the highest level offered in pediatric care; hyperbaric oxygen therapy, or pediatric transplant may be transferred to Children’s Hospital of Michigan