How to Select Stretcher Transportation Services
Stretcher transportation. It can be a critical service to those that are limited physically.
The number of people in this category may be more than you think.
There are about 61 million people in the United States living with a disability. Of those 61 million people, nearly 14% of them have a difficult time walking or climbing stairs.
However, adults have to get out of the house at some point right? If they need to go visit a doctor for something essential, there needs to be a way for people to get there.
This is where stretcher transportation services come in. Sometimes, people are so limited physically that they may not even be able to sit in a wheelchair.
Loved ones or care providers may not be able to lift them or transport them to their proper destination. So, what should you look for from a stretcher transportation services company?
These are some of the top features to keep an eye on.
Experienced Professionals
The first thing that you should consider with stretcher transportation services is if there are experienced professionals on the staff. Are there people with years of experience that know what they are doing with people that need stretcher transportation?
This can make a difference in how you or your loved one are handled. The reason why is that these people will know how to properly lift a patient into a stretcher, travel smoothly from one place to the other, and properly communicate with a patient what they need them to do.
Working with experienced stretcher transportation services in this situation can also give you and your family more confidence that this is something that can work for you.
Space in Vehicle
Next, consider how much space your vehicle is going to need. What type of person are you trying to lift from one place to the other? Are you going to need a certain amount of people to lift this person?
These are things that you need to consider because not all vehicles come in the same shape and size. You could end up not needing as much space as somebody else but if for some reason the body is an unusual size, proper adjustments may need to be put in place.
Type of Service Needed
Another thing that you need to consider is the type of service that you are going to need when it comes to stretcher transportation services. Depending on the company that you work with, you may not get all of the features that you need for your situation.
For example, you may need a service that can have people come all the way to the bedroom and put the person on the stretcher themselves. You may not know how to get the person on the stretcher and are relying on professionals to help.
That is all well and good, but you need to make sure that the specific service that you are hiring offers this in your situation. Look into this closely and see what features services will offer.
Otherwise, you could be stuck in a situation where you have to put the person on a stretcher yourself and have them outside ready for the van.
Distance Traveled
Depending on where you live and where you need to go, the distance could become an issue with some stretcher transportation services. This can especially be the case if you live in a rural area.
The average person in an urban area lives 10 minutes from a hospital. In a rural area, this increases to 17 minutes.
For example, let’s say that you live in the middle of nowhere and that the nearest hospital from you is about 50 miles away. This could be a much longer distance for some stretcher transportation services than what they might usually have to drive.
What does that mean for you? Well, it could mean two things.
Either a transportation company may refuse to drive long distances or they will charge you a much higher rate to do so. Other companies could have a fixed pricing system where it only goes by how much time you need it for or how many miles you need to go.
Whatever the case may be, make sure you look into this before hiring a company for your needs.
Time Needed
Finally, look into how much time is needed to get the job done in this situation. Is this a company that you can rely on if you need this service at the last minute? If so, how long is this going to take?
You may not have time to wait around in certain situations. Even if you can book it in advance, you may be counting on a transportation company to get this done as fast as possible.
Find out how far in advance you have to book this service. Also, find out the shortest possible notice that you can give and how long the actual stretcher transportation services could be expected to take.
Once you have that information, you should have a much better idea of if this service is the right fit for you.
Book Your Stretcher Transportation Services
These are just a few of the features that you should look into when you are considering stretcher transportation services. This could be the best available option for you or a loved one.
Make sure you know what type of service is offered, how much time this takes, and what distance they are willing to go.
Do you want to know more? Send us a message today.