What are some ways to ensure healthcare providers are sensitive to patients' transportation needs?

Rural, remote and regional patients require equitable support. In Australia 30% of the population live in "rural" communities. Their local doctor, as clinician advocate, needs to be asked to let any referred to doctor or health worker know, that the patient lives xx km away from the city, that it costs to travel there, that they need to be aware of the time of appointment ie does it suit in the morning, afternoon or during the day? In addition patient assistant transport scheme information needs to be given for subsidised travel. While this is not much, it helps families as accommodation, travel costs and being away from work and family places additional burden on the family and carers.

Do we need transportation at all? What can the patient and / or caregiver do themselves? Can telemedicine help? What about community resources or pharmacies? Our default should be care in one’s home, including self-care & self-management. After having exhausted that should we consider transport.

In my experience of hybrid patient services we still, and may always, need to be able to offer patients some kind of support for transportation. There are many reasons for this but I am going to focus on the clinical trial side of healthcare as this is where my experience lies. 1. Patients' needs can (and often do) change during the time of their participation in a study (e.g. in neuro-degenerative conditions); 2. Healthcare professionals conducting home visits may not always be able to conduct some complex assessments away from a clinic (and let's remember home visits should ALWAYS be optional); 3. Providing travel support (and/or reimbursement) promotes much more equity for patients with diverse and/or differing socio-economic backgrounds

To ensure healthcare providers are sensitive to patients' transportation needs, they should regularly inquire about transport challenges, offer flexible scheduling, provide information on accessible transit options, and collaborate with community transportation services for support.

Proactively addressing patients' transportation needs involves conducting assessments, using surveys, and implementing assistance programs. Enhancing accessibility includes flexible scheduling, telehealth services, and local transportation collaborations. Providing educational materials, recognizing cultural influences, and designating a transportation liaison are crucial. Ensuring unhindered healthcare access requires loud advocacy for patient-centered transportation solutions, demonstrating a commitment to sensitive and equitable care delivery.

Distance from home is one of the most important criterion in healthcare provider selection for patients. The place of the building should be decided very carefully in the beginning in terms of the target segment allocation. Offering for a transportation facility can cover the ones that already chose you and contacted you to have an appointment. The biggest share in the target segment in here is the ones that have even no contact for appointment. So declaring and announcing the transportation facilities is more important than having them.

Know the alternatives before talking to the doctor. Persuasive argument can get a lot done. Look for a pattern of referral and gather information on whether its service related or is it that certain doctors only refer to other certain doctors. The disregarding of other doctors/specialists is quite common. Then speak to the medical insurance provider and ensure your alternatives HCP are covered by the patient's insurance. This will allow streamlining of getting your patient the best care as within reason as possible easier.

A compreens?o clara das necessidades é fundamental e é um dever do paciente em condi??es de informar ao provedor e profissional sobre as suas próprias necessidades, sem a informa??o o critério do operador pode n?o ser o mais adequado ao paciente e o transporte pode se tornar um problema inclusive alterando as condi??es do paciente,

A healthcare provider can leverage resources like Pa’s PA211 to identify transportation resources for their patients by asking open-ended questions that delve into the patient’s mobility challenges. Initiating the conversation with, “Can you share more about how you currently get to your medical appointments?” opens the door for patients to express any difficulties they might be facing. Following up with, “Are there any transportation barriers you’ve encountered recently?” encourages patients to elaborate on specific challenges. By using open-ended questions, providers can uncover nuanced information, allowing them to tailor solutions based on the patient’s unique circumstances.

A complexidade da patologia é o que define o meio de transporte mais adequado ao paciente, enquanto n?o houver a identifica??o adequada o paciente pode ser orientado de forma errada e as condi??es necessárias sofrer?o altera??es no trajeto e se houver necessidade de mudan?a de transporte o aumento de movimentos e tempo pode causar sequelas maiores ao paciente

Many hospital systems will have a social worker or case manager who will offer resources for transportation. Taxi vouchers or bus passes may be available within a city. Some patients are not able to afford an Uber and will need help. If there is no social worker or case manager, ask leadership how to create a streamlined system to help patients who lack access to transportation.

Se a urgência ou emergência n?o estiverem em evidência, o ideal é manter a orienta??o clara ao paciente em uma situa??o de instru??o entendimento e compreens?o, tudo no sentido de causar menor impacto em todos os aspectos inclusive ao nível de disponibilidade do transporte de maior complexidade para outros pacientes que sejam identificados com maiores necessidades

From my experience in the home care sector, it’s great to offer solutions to transportation needs. However, it’s best to offer education to patients about the various resources that they are able to take advantage of. It allows the patient to have a feeling of free will in how to decide which service they choose and gives them the ability to learn on their own how to navigate this area for their health and wellness. In the end, they become more self-sustainable and less dependent on others.

I totally agree, also Incorporate shared decision-making and request patients to reiterate the plan to ascertain their comprehension. At the conclusion of the virtual visit, inquire if there are any additional services you can provide for them. Furnish them with follow-up contact details and express gratitude for their time. This approach will ensure a comprehensive and patient-centered virtual consultation.

Following up and obtaining feedback from both patient and provider will build a relationship. This will establish trust and the understanding of patient needs and provider service, eliminating barriers and finding resolutions to stream patient care easier. Using every single patient/provider interaction as a teachable moment,to help improve future care.

I fully agree on education. I started an education group between ambulance service (transport) providers, the state hospitals, private hospitals, state doctors and private doctors. This was to educate all on the processes of patient care and evidence based guidelines. This increased understanding and decreased frustration and annoyance.

I think the biggest lesson I learned from the whole experience of being a caretaker for a mom with mobility issues was that a lot of medical facilities aren't exactly made for larger mobility assistance tools such as mobility scooters, nor is there much accommodation for providing potential alternatives for patients using them while inside such facilities such providing a substitute wheelchair while on the grounds so that they can be more easily transported to wherever the patient needs to go within that particular medical facility.

Working in an ER in a rural area transportation can be a struggle. The main hospital is the only ambulance service in town and are definitely an in demand resource. At the VA medical center where I work we utilize them when they're available since we don't have our own. Otherwise we have to use air transport or see if an ambulance from the accepting hospital is willing to come and get them. The NOD and the travel staff at times will be on the phone for hours trying to arrange transportation for a patient. In a place like Montana where you have to go out of town out of state for care at times since we don't have many specialists here it's important to know what resources you have available and also how to utilize them quickly when needed.