posted January 21, 2026

Emergency Air Medical Base Carries Advanced Equipment for In-Air Continuous Fetal Monitoring

SHOW LOW, AZ – Jan. 21, 2026 – Expectant mothers with high-risk pregnancies in Northeastern Arizona now have access to an enhanced level of specialized care. Air medical provider Native Air 9 and 18 in Show Low have earned High-Risk Perinatal Program (HRPP) certification and are now equipped to carry a tocodynamometer (TOCO) monitor, enabling advanced in-air fetal and maternal monitoring during helicopter transport.

HRPP is a comprehensive statewide program, administered by the Arizona Department of Health Services, designed to reduce maternal and infant morbidity and mortality while ensuring families receive the most appropriate level of care. For Arizona’s rural and underserved communities, HRPP-certified air medical transport provides a critical safety net when specialized obstetric services are not immediately available.

“With our HRPP designation and the ability to carry the TOCO monitor in flight, our Arizona bases can continuously assess uterine activity and fetal wellbeing from the moment we meet the patient,” said Nate Oliver, Native Air flight paramedic and clinical base lead. “That real-time insight helps our clinicians intervene sooner, coordinate seamlessly with receiving OB teams, and safely move high-risk moms from rural and underserved communities to the right level of care, without losing precious time.”

A TOCO monitor is a non-invasive device that gives flight clinicians real-time insight into uterine activity, including the frequency, intensity, and duration of contractions. This continuous monitoring capability provides critical information about both maternal and fetal well-being during transport, allowing clinicians to respond immediately to changes and provide lifesaving interventions when needed.

HRPP certification requires extensive additional training for flight clinicians, including 109 hours of clinical rotation for flight nurses in a Labor & Delivery unit and an additional 36 hours of specialized clinical training for flight paramedics in the same setting. Crews also complete an in-person course with Air Methods’ education team focused on fetal heart monitoring, including interpretation of tracings, treatment of abnormalities, and hands-on competency with the TOCO device. Ongoing education is completed annually and includes in-person coursework, high-risk pregnancy simulation, and online training.

While Native Air 9 and 18 just received HRPP certification, Native Air’s sister program — LifeNet — has extensive experience with HRPP certification. Air Methods, the nation’s leading air medical provider and parent company of Native Air, LifeNet, and TriState CareFlight, operates community-based programs where seven bases are HRPP-certified and equipped with TOCO monitors across Arizona. These locations include TriState CareFlight 66 in Kingman; Native Air 1 in Mesa; Native Air 14 in Prescott Valley; Native Air 9 and 18 in Show Low; LifeNet 2 in Tucson; and LifeNet 6 in Rio Rico. The LifeNet bases collectively hold more than 20 years of HRPP certification. As access to specialty healthcare continues to change statewide, Native Air’s certification in Show Low serves as a critical link to advanced perinatal care.

Air Methods has further strengthened its obstetric expertise recently by hiring Dr. Linda Chambliss, a nationally recognized maternal-fetal medicine physician, highlighting the organization’s commitment to advancing high-risk perinatal and maternal transport care.

“In a state where access to high-risk obstetric services is increasingly limited, having HRPP-certified air medical teams is critical,” said Dr. Chambliss, Air Methods’ Obstetrics Medical Director for TriState CareFlight, Native Air, and LifeNet. “This certification means our teams are prepared to identify and manage obstetric emergencies during transport, providing continuous fetal monitoring and advanced maternal care. For families, it means faster access to specialized treatment and better outcomes for both mother and baby.”

Through continued investment, innovation, and partnership with statewide programs like HRPP, Air Methods’ TriState CareFlight, Native Air, and LifeNet operations continue to make a profound impact throughout Arizona, ensuring that when expectant mothers and critically ill patients need care most, highly specialized help is already on the way.