Kids Riding in Style to Surgery at South Texas Health System Children’s

Thursday, September 12, 2019
Kids Riding in Style to Surgery at South Texas Health System Children’s

Administration, staff and patients showing off the new electric cars.

Pediatric patients now have the option to get behind the wheel of a kid-sized electric vehicle as they make their way to the operating room at South Texas Health System Children’s in Edinburg.

The hospital staff recently unveiled the fleet of five new vehicles which can be controlled remotely by a nurse if the child does not want to operate it on their own. Of course, the patient’s parents must consent to the ride, and the patient is always monitored by medical staff and must wear a seatbelt. The children can choose between a Lamborghini, Maserati, Jeep, fire truck or police SUV to navigate down hospital corridors.

“The stress of undergoing surgery can be overwhelming for anyone, especially a pediatric patient, which is why South Texas Health System Children’s decided to purchase these electric cars for those children headed to the operating room,” said Lance Ames, CEO of South Texas Health System Children’s. “It’s fun and exciting for them, taking away some of the fear and stress of laying on a stretcher as they are moved into surgery.”

Ames says staff at the children’s hospital are being trained to properly operate the vehicles, and mock speed limit signs and traffic lights will be installed around the patient floors, emergency room and pediatric intensive care unit to give kids a playful and safe environment on their journey to recovery.