If you need to get to a medical appointment, having reliable transportation is important. Unfortunately, many people can’t reach their appointments because of their age, disability, not having a car, or no public transportation.
Non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) is a solution for people who don’t have transportation for medical appointments. Here, we’ll explore some of the common complaints patients have about medical transportation services. We will also look at ways you can prevent these issues.
Common Complaints About Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Services
Some of the most common complaints patients have about medical transportation services are late arrivals or no-shows, untrained drivers, and vehicles not properly equipped.
Late Arrivals
Drivers not arriving on time for an appointment is a common complaint patients have about medical transportation companies. With medical appointments, you know how important it is to arrive on time. If you’re late, you may have to wait for hours while they “work you in.” Some doctors count late appointments as no shows. If you’re a “no show,” they may require you to reschedule your appointment.
You can reduce your chances of being late for an appointment by taking the following steps:
- Book your ride as far in advance as you can
- Provide detailed information to the transportation company about the time and place of your appointment
- If you have special needs, make sure to let the transportation company know
By following these tips, you can reduce the risk of arriving late for your appointment.
Vehicles Not Equipped To Handle Patients With Mobility Issues
If you need a wheelchair accessible vehicle, make sure the medical transport company knows this. Nothing is worse than a driver arriving to take you to an appointment without a suitable vehicle. This makes you late or causes you to miss the appointment.
At HM Transport, we have 63 vans capable of:
It’s important that we know what level of service you will need before your appointment date. We also need to know about any special needs you may have. Once we know what you need, we will work with you to provide the most pleasant experience possible.
Drivers Not Properly Trained
Many patients need a driver that’s trained to help elderly and disabled patients. At HM Transport, we provide this training to every driver. But we also go an extra step for you. We train all our drivers in CPR and first-aid. And, we keep life saving equipment on all our vehicles.
We don’t just train the drivers, we also maintain proper supervision of every driver. Our vehicles provide remote monitoring of driving performance. This ensures that you have a safe trip to and from your medical appointments.
Conclusion
Non-emergency medical transportation sounds great, doesn’t it? Of course, it must be expensive, right? The fact is that most health insurance policies and Medicaid pay for medical transportation. Now you probably wish you could take medical transportation everywhere you need to go. We offer that service too. Unfortunately, insurance only covers transportation for medical reasons.
If you need a ride to your medical appointment, communicate all your needs to us. At HM Transport, we work hard to make sure you receive the care you need. You can book a reservation online today, or call us at 703.304.7889. We’re available 24/7 to help you.
