Not Everyone Has Somebody: How Health Care Organizations Are Assisting Patients With Nonemergency Medical Transportation

摘要

Health care organizations have held tight to traditions that were followed for a variety of reasons, including patient transport to and from medical environments. Typical classifications were emergency transport and nonemergency medical transportation (NEMT). The definitions of "emergency" were easily defined by the patient condition, perception, or medical needs. NEMT situations were also easy to define, as "all other." Some patients have historically been entitled to routine transportation to medical appointments through Medicaid for appointments that have been scheduled in advance and had transportation that received prior approval (CMS.GOV, 2016). Each State may have different rules regulating what patients are eligible for transportation to what type of appointments and how those services may be delivered (waiting time, additional stops along the way, certain transportation providers, canceled appointments, etc.).