More than 25 million Americans have travel-limiting disabilities. If you have a loved one who fits into this category, it can be difficult getting them to and from hospitals, doctors’ offices, and other medical facilities.
Fortunately, there are non-emergency medical transportation services that can help. A NEMT service can set your loved one up with the curb-to-curb transportation they need to get to wherever they have to be on any given day.
Before you hire one of these transportation services to assist your loved one, though, you should learn how to make the most of curb-to-curb transportation. We’ve put together tips that will help you and your loved one to take advantage of it.
Continue reading to get tips on how to use curb-to-curb transportation to its full potential.
Hire the Right Non-Emergency Transportation Service
In order to obtain curb-to-curb transportation, you’re going to need to begin by choosing a non-emergency transportation service. You should be able to locate at least a few options by Googling something like “NEMT service near me.”
But you don’t ever want to just hire the first NEMT service you can find. You should do your homework on the options in your area to see which ones you can truly trust.
In a perfect world, you’ll want to work with a NEMT service that has the experience and expertise it takes to deliver stellar curb-to-curb transportation services. You’ll also want to find one that has a wonderful reputation within your community and excellent prices on their services.
Working with a great NEMT service will guarantee you’re able to get the best curb-to-curb transportation around. You can get your loved one a transportation ride to a hospital, doctor’s appointment, etc. without a problem.
Prepare Your Loved One for Curb-to-Curb Transportation
When you arrange for a loved one to get curb-to-curb transportation, it’s going to be your responsibility to help them get outside so that a NEMT service can pick them up. You should mentally prepare them for this ahead of time.
At least one or maybe even two or three days before your loved one is scheduled to get picked up, you should let them know they’re going to be receiving curb-to-curb transportation to an appointment. It’ll help them get into the right frame of mind.
You should also prepare yourself accordingly so that you can get them ready for a NEMT service. You’ll likely have to get them dressed and help them move outside before a NEMT service’s arrival.
You don’t want to wait until the last minute to do this just in case there are any snags. If your loved one isn’t outside on time, it could lead to them being late for an appointment.
Obtain the Necessary Equipment to Move a Loved One Outside
If your loved one has serious mobility issues, they may not be able to simply walk outside for their curb-to-curb transportation. You might need to provide them with the necessary equipment to help them move outside.
In some cases, you might need to secure a cane or walker for them so that they’re able to make their way outside with ease. In other instances, you might need to utilize a wheelchair to get them outside.
If none of this equipment will do the trick, you may want to consider asking for a NEMT service to provide your loved one with stretcher transportation. They’ll be able to enter the home where your loved one is staying and bring them outside on a stretcher without any issues.
Give Your Loved One Enough Time to Get Outside
You don’t necessarily want to have your loved one sitting outside for half an hour waiting for a NEMT service to show up. They might not be able to remain comfortable if you force them to do this.
But at the same time, you also don’t want to put your loved one in a position where they have to scramble to try to get outside when a NEMT service arrives. You should start moving them outside about 10 or 15 minutes before a NEMT service is set to get there.
By doing this, you should be able to coordinate things just right so that your loved one gets outside as a NEMT service is pulling up. They’ll be able to get right into the transportation service’s vehicle and be on their way.
Provide a NEMT Service With the Right Addresses
If you do something as simple as giving a NEMT service the wrong address to pick your loved one up at, it could cause problems for both your loved one and the NEMT service. It’s why you should check and double-check the address you provide them with at the beginning.
You should also make sure you provide a NEMT service with the right address for your loved one’s destination. Otherwise, it could result in a service dropping your loved one off in the wrong place while providing them with curb-to-curb transportation.
It’ll only take you a few extra seconds to confirm the pickup and dropoff locations for your loved one. But it’ll make a world of a difference when it comes to making the most of their curb-to-curb transportation.
Contact Us for Your Curb-to-Curb Transportation Needs
Do you have a loved one who could benefit from curb-to-curb transportation in a big way? If so, our non-emergency medical transportation service is here to help you.
It doesn’t matter if your loved one needs to head to a hospital, a doctor’s office, or another medical facility in your area. We’ll make sure we pick them up and drop them off on time. We’ll also make sure they’re comfortable throughout the duration of their ride with us.
Reach out to us the next time you need a local or long-distance NEMT.