Medical Transport Services: A Quick Guide
What’s a Medical Transport?
Medical Transport is a means of transportation used to move patients from one point to another. They transport patients through far and near distances, such as state to state and cross-country transport. The primary goal of medical transport services is to assist patients to safely get from one destination to another.
Types of Medical Transport Services
There are broadly two types of Medical Transport Service;
- Non-Emergency Medical Transport (NEMT): This type of medical transport is used when a patient does not need urgent medical care.
Research demonstrates that NEMT is one of the fastest medical transports in the United States. This supports the relevance and importance of a medical transport service. With a non-emergency transport service, patients can request to be transported long distances safely with medical personnel on board.
An excellent example of a non-emergency medical transport service is the Private Ambulance service. The benefit of a private ambulance lies in its ability to move patients within states, short-distance, and long-distance locations.
- Emergency Medical Transport (EMT): This type of medical transport service is designated for patients that require critical medical care. A recent report highlights that emergency medical transport has recorded an increase in demand over the last decade. Emergency medical transport services are fitted with Basic Life Support(BLS), and Advanced Cardiac Life Support(ACLS) equipment and are always staffed by at least two paramedics. EMT’s do not typically travel long distances and must transport the patient to the closest medical facility for emergency medical attention.
Benefits of Medical Transport Services
Regardless of the type of medical transport service you choose, there are a few common benefits associated shared by it.
- Access to Medical Professionals – Nurses and paramedics often accompany medical transport vehicles during transit. This is done to ensure the patient receives any required medical care during transit.
- Well-equipped Medical Vehicles – Medical Transport vehicles are usually fitted with Basic Life Support(BLS) medical equipment such as ventilators, stretchers, ambulance chairs, oxygen supply units, and more are available onboard for the patient’s safety during transit.
- Safety and Convenience – A Medical Transport Service provides adequate safety and convenience to patients. They are directly responsible for the safety and comfort of the patient throughout the journey. They may also be responsible for safely transferring the patient to a new health facility, their home or their bed in the case of a bed-to-bed service.
Conclusion
A Medical Transport Service company can offer both emergency and non-emergency transport services to patients. Their primary aim is to safely and conveniently transfer patients from one point to another. The ideal medical transport service will generally depend on the patient’s medical condition, budget, professional medical advice, and patient’s preference.
