COLORADO SPRINGS, CO (November 2, 2026) – CommonSpirit St. Francis Hospital and CommonSpirit Flight for Life are taking care of babies to new heights with a highly specialized Neonatal Transport Team. This program extends the life-saving expertise of our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) beyond our hospital walls, ensuring that critically ill newborns across Colorado and Western Kansas receive world-class care the moment they need it.
When a newborn is in a fragile state, every second counts. This new team acts as an "NICU on wheels or wings," bringing advanced medical care directly to the infant, rather than waiting for them to come to us.
How the Program Works:
- Expert Clinical Care: Our team includes clinicians with specialized training in stabilizing and managing critically ill newborns.
- Seamless Interfacility Transport: We provide expert care during NICU-to-NICU transfers, ensuring continuous treatment throughout the journey.
- Advanced Equipment: Every transport unit is equipped with dedicated neonatal systems, including intensive monitoring, respiratory support, and precision medication infusion.
- Flexible Reach: In coordination with Flight for Life, we utilize ground, rotor-wing, or fixed-wing transport to reach babies safely, regardless of their location or the weather.
“The launch of this dedicated neonatal transport team is an intentional step forward in how we care for our most vulnerable patients,” said Jon Massey, Region Director, Flight Services Line for Flight for Life. “For families in rural areas, the time between a complication and arrival at a NICU is very important. We are bridging that distance with clinical expertise, ensuring that specialized, life-saving care starts the second we reach the baby.”
This program reflects CommonSpirit’s mission and was made possible through funding from the Penrose-St. Francis Health Foundation because every newborn, no matter where they are born, deserves high-quality, compassionate care they need to thrive.
“We are honored to provide hope and healing to families across southern Colorado and beyond through this new program. CommonSpirit is dedicated to meeting families where they are, bringing our compassionate, specialized neonatal services directly to those who need us the most,” said Kevin Wikoff, President, St. Francis Hospitals.
For more information about our NICU services and the new transport team, please visit our Birth Center page. To learn more about our Foundation and to give back, visit give.commonspirit.org/penrosestfrancishealthfoundation.
Inspired by faith. Driven by innovation. Powered by humankindness. CommonSpirit Health is building a healthier future for all through its integrated health services. As one of the nation’s largest nonprofit Catholic healthcare organizations, CommonSpirit Health delivers more than 20 million patient encounters annually through more than 2,300 clinics, care sites and 137 hospital-based locations, in addition to its home-based services and virtual care offerings. CommonSpirit has more than 155,000 employees, 45,000 nurses and 25,000 physicians and advanced practice providers across 24 states and contributes more than $4 billion annually in charity care, community benefits and unreimbursed government programs. Together with our patients, physicians, partners, and communities, we are creating a more just, equitable, and innovative healthcare delivery system. Learn more at commonspirit.org.