As a rider using medical transportation, you can expect to be treated with respect, helped in the way you actually need, and carried in a vehicle that fits how you move. You can ask to stay in your own wheelchair, bring a service animal or portable oxygen, and have a family member or caregiver ride with you. The key is telling the provider about those needs when you book, so the right van, crew and equipment show up at your door.
This guide walks through what a good medical ride looks like, what to ask for, and how H&M Transport handles it for riders across Northern Virginia, Washington DC and the Maryland suburbs.
What riders can expect from medical transportation
Non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) is for people who need more than a ride from curb to curb. A few expectations are reasonable for any trip:
- Respect. Drivers should speak to you directly, not only to the person with you. They should ask before they touch you or your equipment, and explain what they are about to do.
- Help that matches your needs. Some riders only need an arm on the front steps. Others need a ramp, a lift or a two-person crew. You should not have to fit yourself to the vehicle; the ride should fit you.
- Privacy. Your health information should be shared only as needed to arrange and complete the ride.
- A clear answer. If a provider can’t handle a particular need, you should hear that when you book, not at the curb.
Door-through-door help, not just curb-to-curb
The difference between a stressful trip and a smooth one is often the first and last hundred feet. With H&M Transport’s ambulatory transport, the driver comes to your door, helps you from inside your home to the van, and walks you into the clinic or waiting room at the other end. That door-through-door help matters most for riders with balance problems, low vision, memory changes or anyone who is weak after treatment.
If you need help with steps, uneven ground or a long hallway at a medical building, say so when you book.
Staying in your own wheelchair
Many wheelchair users would rather not transfer to a vehicle seat, and you can ask to stay in your chair for the whole trip. On H&M Transport’s wheelchair transport, your chair goes up a ramp on our minivans or onto a hydraulic lift on our full-size vans, and it is held in place with four-point securement. Drivers are trained to secure manual and power chairs and to check them before the van moves.
If you don’t own a wheelchair, or yours isn’t suitable for the trip, we can bring one.
Riders who need more room have options too. Our bariatric transport is for riders over 300 lb and uses specialized vehicles with wider ramps and roomier interiors, with a second crew member added when the transfer or the route out of the home calls for it. Riders who must lie flat use stretcher transport, which always has at least two crew members and a power-assisted cot.
Service animals, oxygen and companions
These three questions come up more than any others, and the answer to each is simple: tell us when you book.
Service animals
Service animals are welcome on H&M Transport rides. Let us know when you book so the driver can plan where the animal will settle.
Oxygen
You can bring your own portable oxygen, or we can supply tanks for the trip. Tell us your flow rate and how long you’ll be away from home, including time at the appointment, so there is enough for the whole trip.
A family member or caregiver
A family member or caregiver can usually ride along; tell us when you book. Having someone along can help at check-in and with remembering the doctor’s instructions, but it is your choice.
How to describe your needs when you book
The single most useful thing you can do is give the scheduler an honest, specific picture of the rider. You aren’t being a bother; you’re helping us send the right vehicle and crew the first time. When you call or book online, be ready to share:
- How the rider moves. Walks alone, walks with a cane or walker, walks with someone’s arm, uses a wheelchair, or needs to lie flat.
- The wheelchair, if there is one. Manual or power, and whether it’s an extra-wide or reclining model.
- The route out of the home. Stairs inside or outside, a steep driveway, an elevator, a gate code or a long walk to the parking lot.
- Weight, if it’s over 300 lb. This helps us send a bariatric vehicle and the right crew.
- Equipment and extras. Oxygen, a service animal, a companion, or a bag of supplies.
- Communication needs. Hearing or vision loss, a preferred language, memory changes, or a caregiver’s phone number we should call instead of the rider’s.
For same-day rides and hospital discharges, we need at least three hours’ notice. Booking 24 hours ahead guarantees availability. Our guide to preparing for a medical transport has a fuller checklist for the day of the trip.
If the ride is through Virginia Medicaid: Call the transportation number on your Medicaid ID card; the brokers we work with are MTM Health and SafeRide Health. Request H&M Transport specifically when you book your ride.
How H&M Transport handles rider needs
We have been driving patients around Northern Virginia, DC and the Maryland suburbs since 2010, and we were the first NEMT provider in Virginia to earn NEMTAC accreditation. A few things shape how we look after riders:
- A fleet built for mobility. More than 80 wheelchair vans, with ramps on our minivans and hydraulic lifts on our full-size vans. Ambulatory riders ride in the same vans.
- Dispatch that answers. Our dispatch team in Gainesville, Virginia answers 24/7, holidays included, so a changed discharge time or a long appointment doesn’t leave you stranded.
- Clear limits. We are not an ambulance. There is no medical care or monitoring on board, and we never take riders to an emergency room. If someone is having a medical emergency, call 911.
If something about a ride didn’t go the way it should have, call us at (703) 304-7889 or email Reservations@hmtransport.com. We want to hear about it and put it right. For the law itself, see ADA.gov. For a wider look at why accessible rides matter, read our post on the benefits of NEMT for seniors and people with disabilities.
Common questions
Can I stay in my own wheelchair during the ride?
Yes. On our wheelchair vans, you ride in your own chair, secured at four points. Tell us if it’s a power chair or an extra-wide model when you book.
Can I bring my service animal?
Yes. Service animals are welcome on H&M Transport rides. Just tell us when you book.
Can I use oxygen during the trip?
Yes. You can bring your own portable oxygen, or we can supply tanks. Let us know your flow rate when you book.
Can a family member ride with me?
A family member or caregiver can usually ride along; tell us when you book.
Will the driver help me inside?
Yes. Our service is door-through-door: the driver helps you from inside your home to the van and into the clinic at the other end.
When you’re ready, book online or call (703) 304-7889, any time of day. Tell us how you move and what you’re bringing, and we’ll send the ride that fits, whether that’s ambulatory, wheelchair, stretcher or bariatric service.
