NEWS
Drive to Thrive: Ambulatory Transport Solutions for Better Healthcare Access
In an emergency, ambulances are lifelines between patients and the urgent medical attention they need. They provide services that save countless lives each year. In many cases, though, the need for transportation to non-emergency medical appointments is overlooked. Reports show that more than 5.5 million people in America are forced to postpone or miss out on medical care because of a lack of transportation. Non-emergency medical transportation can provide an array of benefits for them and the community as a whole.
Improved Accessibility to Medical Care
One of the main benefits of non-emergency ambulatory transportation is improved accessibility to medical care for patients. People often take the ability to jump in their personal vehicles or take a bus or subway to their doctors’ offices for granted. For people who don’t have a vehicle or access to public transportation, though, that’s not an option. In their cases, seemingly simple endeavors like getting to a doctor’s appointment can be a serious struggle. Their health suffers as a result. Non-emergency transportation gives them a way to overcome those struggles, so they can receive the care they need.
Addressing Gaps in Healthcare
By extension, non-emergency medical transportation helps to bridge gaps in medical care caused by geographic factors as well as other issues. Some communities are hit hard by these disparities. They leave them lacking preventative care, treatments for chronic conditions, and other services. Non-emergency transportation reduces that problem and its impact on the people who don’t have access to quality medical services in their neighborhoods. When care isn’t right around the corner, it can significantly affect people’s health, but non-emergency medical transportation balances the scales to an extent.
Giving Patients Peace of Mind
Another major advantage of non-emergency medical transportation is the peace of mind it gives patients. When people have no way to get to their doctor’s appointments, it can cause quite a bit of stress. In turn, that stress further detracts from their health. It’s difficult for those on the outside looking in to understand the struggle. All it takes is a vehicle breaking down or an unexpected family logistical issue arising for them to see just how much trouble a lack of transportation can cause, though. Having the option of non-emergency transportation to medical appointments eliminates much of the stress.
Meeting Special Needs
Additionally, non-emergency medical transportation can be extremely helpful for patients with special needs. That includes those with mobility issues. Services are available for patients who are confined to wheelchairs and beds. They’re also available for those with balance and coordination problems. Non-emergency transport vehicles can accommodate wheelchairs and gurneys, and the people who drive them are trained to handle a variety of special needs. That eliminates many of the challenges patients with unique needs are up against when traveling to medical appointments.
Bringing Patients and Medical Care Together
Getting to and from medical appointments isn’t a problem for everyone. For people who have special needs, no access to quality healthcare in their communities, or no vehicle, though, it can be a major hurdle. Those challenges prevent them from getting the care they need for injuries, chronic medical conditions, and preventing illnesses alike. They also bring about a great deal of unnecessary stress. Non-emergency medical transportation can eliminate those problems. It’s designed to meet an array of needs and overcome some of the logistical struggles so many people are up against.
Kenneth is a proud native of sydney, born and raised there. However, he pursued his education abroad and studied in Australia. Kenneth has worked as a journalist for almost a decade, making valuable contributions to prominent publications such as Yahoo News and The Verge. Currently, he serves as a journalist for The Hear Up, where he focuses on covering climate and science news. You can reach Kenneth at bloggerjohnsmith12@gmail.com.