Wheelchair transport services have come a long way since they were first created, and they are still growing today. In 2021, the market for nonemergency medical transportation was worth about $8.6 billion. However, experts, expect the market to grow at an impressive rate of 9% each year at least until 2028.
In many ways, the history of wheelchair transport services is a success story. But not everyone is aware of all of the ways these services have improved in decades past.
Some people are also not aware of the most recent improvements that some transportation services offer. Learning more about these services can help you appreciate what we enjoy today. It can also show you what we can look forward to as these services continue to improve.
Read on to learn all about the biggest ways the wheelchair transportation service market has evolved over the years!
Laying the Foundation for Transportation Services
There was a time when it was not required for all states to offer wheelchair transport services to their residents. But even earlier than that, Medicaid and Medicare laws helped lay the foundation for future medical transportation.
In 1965, the Social Security Act became law and created Medicaid and Medicare. Among other things, these laws required that states find ways to provide medical treatment to everyone.
However, many states did not immediately start offering wheelchair transport services. It was not until a decade later that the law made such services universal.
The Origin of Universal Medical Transport
In 1974, a court in Texas found that the state was not providing transportation for all of its residents. After this court case, many more states began offering wheelchair transportation options.
Of course, when these services first started, they were rudimentary. Not everyone had easy access to them. On top of that, they often provided only the minimum of transportation assistance. Still, this 1974 court case did a lot to expand the availability of medical transport for everyone.
Making Transport Services More Efficient
In the decades that followed, the economy grew and our technology advanced. As a result, it became easier and easier to expand transportation services. Companies began developing brokerage models to make medical transport more efficient.
In some cases, this improved access and cut costs at the same time. Bringing down costs led to other benefits as well. It laid the foundation for insurance companies to make deals with transportation services.
The more affordable these services became, the more common it became for insurance companies to cover them. By the year 2000, almost everyone had access to some kind of medical transport.
Making Senior Care More Responsive
For many years, the focus was on making sure everyone had access to medical transport services. Once that was achieved, people found they had access to multiple medical transport options. At that point, many services began to focus on being easier to use.
In the past, you often had to schedule medical transports with a few days’ notice. Most people developed a specific schedule for their medical transport rides. If they wanted to change that schedule, it might take a while for it to update.
On top of that, people often had only one way to arrange their trips. These days, the medical transport system is much more responsive.
Users can schedule their trips using a variety of methods. Medical transport vehicles are able to update their schedules much faster as well.
Expanding the Reach of Senior Medical Attention
Some medical transport services saw rideshare platforms as competitors. Some people preferred to order an Uber or a Lyft and then schedule a medical transport trip. But some companies also started working together with these rideshare platforms.
This way, riders don’t have to choose between convenience and expertise. Medical transport services provide trained staff who can help in case of a medical emergency. They are also used to working with writers who may need special consideration.
Many rideshare platforms require writers to show up at a pickup spot within only 5 minutes. But this is not enough time for some seniors to get ready.
Rideshare platform drivers sometimes also cancel trips. This can wreak havoc on a senior who needs wheelchair transport services right away. What happens when you combine rideshare platforms with wheelchair transport services? Riders can enjoy both convenience and expertise.
Medical Clinics Continue Offering New Services
We have been focusing on the factors that transformed the wheelchair transport services industry as a whole. However, it is also important to appreciate how individual medical clinics are innovating today.
As wheelchair transport services become more universal, transportation providers compete to attract more users.
Some of them have started to experiment with allowing people to schedule their rides using convenient apps. Many such services now offer to help people get from their doors to the vehicle.
On top of that, many people who use these transportation services also use them as a way to meet other members of the community. Finding support from people with similar health challenges can be a powerful way to get through difficult times.
Understand the Evolution of Wheelchair Transport Services
There are always ways to improve our wheelchair transport services. However, we have come a long way in the previous years and decades. Today, more people have access to wheelchair transportation than ever before.
On top of that, there are strong signs that we will continue to enjoy better services in the years to come. To learn more about how you can find the best non-emergency medical transportation for your needs, reach out and get in touch with us here at any time!