INTRODUCTION
Transportation is one of the key determinants of social health and hence it is necessary for a state to have a robust public transportation system that not only serves the urban population but the rural population as well. Public transportation becomes really critical when it comes to rural areas where there are only a few other modes of transportation for the public available. People living in rural areas even get compromised of their health due to a lack of suitable modes of medical transportation available to them. This lack of suitable modes of medical transportation results in the deteriorating social health of the rural area and of the state as a whole. According to USDA report as many as 46 million people live in rural areas in the US which also have a higher proportion of older adults with chronic conditions, non-availability of a suitable mode of transportation for their medical needs will create a huge impact on the overall social health of the US.
NEMT services and NEMT provider technology can create a big impact in these areas and can help bridge the gap in these areas to a certain degree leading to an overall uplifting of the social health of the state.
What is NEMT and how does it work?
NEMT is a transportation service provided to individuals to help one get medical attention when necessary and not an emergency. Service providers will be specially equipped to transport riders in wheelchairs, stretchers or with other special needs. Non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) services are most often provided by booking travel through transportation brokers via specialized software which locates available transport providers and schedules the appropriate trip after the brokerage has verified eligibility for them to ride based on funding rules.
NEED FOR NEMT IN RURAL AREAS
According to surveys about rural vs. urban transportation barriers, the rural population suffers certain kinds of complications when trying to access services for their healthcare. Some of these complications are-
Traveling longer distances in comparison to the urban population for medical care.
Increased travel time.
Non or limited availability of public transportation.
Non-availability of a medical transport assistant/companion.
Higher health care cost
Treatment delays
The availability of well-developed NEMT systems in these areas can help overcome these problems. NEMT services are not limited to only providing medical transportation vehicles but in addition to this, the NEMT can be a customized support system to fulfill all the needs of the rural community.
IMPACT OF NEMT
The availability of a robust and efficient transportation system for the medical and healthcare needs of rural communities can help uplift the social health of the state. Studies on the impact of NEMT on the rural population show a positive output. Decreased medical expenses, increased healthcare utilization, and decreased hospital admissions for diabetic adults are some of the positive outcomes of NEMT.
The implementation of NEMT not only brings out positive outcomes but it also works as a support system for rural communities. People living in rural areas are now at ease and can avail medical services easily and in a hassle-free manner thanks to NEMT service providers and brokers.
How Technology helps to provide NEMT Services?
NEMT transportation software for providers enables you to build optimized schedules quickly and has flexible scheduling and dispatch modules that can be shaped to suit individual needs. Other functions include streamlining back-office processes such as billing, improving communication with drivers, and enhancing client service.
Do you know ? QRyde by HBSS for Healthcare is a cloud-based technology solution that focuses on delivering efficient services and facilitating patient transportation coordination. QRyde’s proprietary assignment algorithms assign the most suitable vendors to rides, assuring timely pick up and drop off of patients and integrate with EHR systems and workflows improving the quality of patient care as well as ensuring profitability
IN NUTSHELL:
Non-emergency medical transportation can be an essential tool for people who need medical attention, it can be a great choice when you really need someone to take you to appointments or to the hospital. An updated technology-enabled system like NEMT can help improve health and reduce healthcare costs. Indirectly, it enhances the quality of life by providing access to well-coordinated and reliable transportation services.
