Did you know that over 61 million adults in the United States live with a disability?
Considering how many people in this country have some sort of disability, you can assume that not every day is going to be smooth for them. Sometimes, this results in those people having to make a visit to the hospital.
The hospital visit may have gone smoothly and you are ready to go home from there. However, something you may not have considered is the hospital discharge process.
If you are worried about how you will get home from a hospital visit, read on to find out about seven things that you should know about hospital discharge transportation.
1. Working With Trained Professionals
If you are nervous about who you are putting your trust in, no need to fear. Professional hospital discharge transportation services like ours have trained professionals that have experience dealing with other patients like you.
What does this mean? It means having people by your side that will be more understanding and more sensitive to your needs and concerns. It means that these people will strap you into the vehicle securely and comfortably.
This can also make a big difference in how someone drives as well. Someone with experience may drive more cautiously or work around certain areas that can cause a bumpy or turbulent ride.
Essentially, you are going to be with people that know what they are doing and know the ins and outs about how to get somebody from the hospital to their home safely.
2. Getting an Evaluation
The next thing you are going to want to do is to get an evaluation from your doctor before you go home. Find out exactly what you need to do once you get home and also find out what your physical limitations are for getting around.
Can you walk at all? Can you move the upper half of your body or do you need a stretcher? A doctor can tell you what part of your body you will need to protect in this situation.
Having this hospital discharge evaluation can not only let you know what you need to do, but also your discharge team.
3. Careful Planning
When it comes to hospital discharge transportation, make sure you plan ahead for this if this is something that you think you are going to need. You cannot just assume that discharge transportation is going to be available at the snap of a finger as soon as you leave the hospital.
If you are going for a well visit, this is something you should plan before you even go to the hospital. If you went because of an emergency, talk to your doctor about your condition. Assuming the doctor tells you that you cannot drive or walk, make these arrangements before you have to leave the hospital.
4. Consider the Cost
Something that you may have to think about is how much this is going to cost for non-emergency transportation. Most hospital discharge transportation services have a flat fee for bringing the vehicle and employees. From there, they could charge you an extra fee per mile.
Let’s say that this fee is $5 per mile and you live 20 miles from the hospital. You would pay $100 for the mileage fee on top of whatever the flat fee was.
Keep this in mind if your insurance does not cover this hospital discharge transportation because you could find that the cost is more than the hospital visit was worth.
5. Think About Reliability
Another thing that you need to think about is how reliable this company is. Realize that things are not always going to go smoothly on your side. With this in mind, you may need a company that is willing to offer a little flexibility.
For example, let’s say a complication during your visit or a delay from the doctor causes you to be 30 minutes later than your scheduled discharge. Not all companies will wait for you and in that case, you just lost your transportation.
Talk to these companies in advance and get an idea of what their flexibility is.
6. Consider Your Location
If you live in a rural area, you may need to factor in how far you are from your nearest hospital. This is important for two reasons.
The first is that if a hospital discharge transportation service charges you by the mile, then this cost is going to add up significantly if you live far enough away. The second reason is that if you live far enough away, some companies may not even be willing to drive to your house.
So, before you make plans for a hospital visit, make sure you do not live out of reach for these companies.
7. Do Not Forget Follow-Up Appointments
Finally, do not forget about potential follow-up appointments that you may have to go to. You may have your transportation home this time but you will likely need it for your next visit as well.
Unfortunately, this is a big problem in the United States. Americans have a no-show rate of nearly 20% when it comes to seeing their primary care doctor. A lot of the time, this is because they do not have the proper transportation.
Consider this factor before you settle back into your home.
Get Your Hospital Discharge Transportation
These are a few of the factors you need to consider for your hospital discharge transportation. You must remember that the company needs to be reliable, close enough to you, affordable, and to plan around it.
If you can do that, these hospital visits and transports will go smoother.
Do you need help with hospital discharge planning? Message us today to get started.