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On-Demand Non-Emergency Medical Transportation: Revolutionizing Patient Mobility

Technology-based on-demand non-emergency medical transportation is the way out for driving disadvantaged patients.”

Non-Emergency Medical Transportation

The thought of visiting a hospital can be stressful enough. But when the question of ‘how do we go to hospital’ pops up, it further stresses out millions of Americans who cannot drive themselves for various reasons. Whether they are ill, aged, differently abled or just non-drivers, many Americans rely on friends or family for the hospital trip.

Almost everyone needs to visit a hospital or health care center at some point of time in life and transport (or the lack thereof) to the medical facility turns out to be a big hurdle for them. Even cabs or public transportation like buses, metros, and trains may not be the best choice sometimes. Did you know over 3.6 million Americans miss or delay their healthcare appointments every year? Invariably, such delays or default on medical appointments tend to cost money.

This segment of people including healthcare seekers and accompanying individuals make for a potential business opportunity for the transport industry. There are multiple transport providers in the market, both large and small, that cater to the NEMT segment.

NEMT services are usually covered under Medicaid or by health insurance and are categorized under preventive care. The transport itself could include a multitude of modes such as wheelchairs, taxicabs, sedans, SUV, stretcher cars and even air travel if one is required. The NEMT transport arrangement is brokered by some people between the transporters, patients and the healthcare centers.

However, there are critical challenges confronted by the various players in this segment:

  • Tedious Process:

    The transport is often originated and coordinated from the hospital premises by care managers. They call the NEMT transport service providers manually and also organize for suitable handling equipment such as wheelchairs. In case repeated calls have to be made due to non-availability or for time reasons, it just gets more tedious.

  • Identifying Transport Providers:

    Identifying the transport providers out of a few dozen operators in a given region is another daunting task. The NEMT market is fragmented and does not provide regular business. So it is an ‘also ran’ business for most of them. In such cases choosing the availability and suitability can be another challenge.

  • Comparison between Providers:

    It is not easy to strike comparisons for better quality, price and any other parameter among any selected transport providers. Availability becomes the prime factor which may override other advantageous factors in the absence of comparisons. Unsuitability of the features in a particular vehicle can be frustrating for the transporter as well as the patient.

  • Frauds:
Source: http://mobisoftinfotech.com/resources/blog/nemt-for-transforming-patient-mobility