Patient transport is critical to executing well in the medical field. Whether that be emergency transportation or non-emergency transportation, medicine should be approached with a patient-first mindset and transportation is not excluded from that. Every patient case requires careful consideration of what type of transport best fits their medical needs. This includes NICU and pediatric transportation, ALS and BLS, emergent and non-emergent, and more. Another form of patient transportation that doesn’t always come to mind when one thinks of medical and patient transportation is behavioral health transport. So exactly what is behavioral health transportation and how can it be done well? Let’s dive in…
Types of Patient Transport
To revisit patient transportation, there are a few noteworthy types of transport to keep in mind, specifically those that Medi-Ops provides.
Ambulance Transportation: Time is essential in emergencies and ambulance transportation takes patients to the medical care they need in the fastest way possible. Different emergencies require different medical professionals, skills, equipment, and services all in regard to transportation. Medi-Ops uses a centralized dispatch center to connect clients and patients with the exact ambulance service needed in just one phone call, whether this is a need for ICU Critical Care in addition to NICU and pediatric services and ALS and BLS companies. Locating the closest service to the patient’s location, Medi-Ops coordinates among all of these services and connections to take care of everything and provide live tracking for ambulance services. Time is of the essence in these situations and is an extremely high priority to transportation services and medical care centers alike.
Air Medical Transportation: Similar to ambulance transportation, air medical transports are also used in emergencies and are typically for patients requiring attention for burns, traumatic brain or spinal cord injuries, status post trauma, organ transplant recipients, head injuries, and respiratory illnesses. Getting a patient to the medical attention they require, near or far, is the key here. Air Medical transport is almost always used in extremely critical cases, so there is a high need for urgency, efficiency, and safety every time. Utilizing Medi-Ops as your air medical transportation service allows for a patient-first focus and gives patients and clients the freedom to focus on what is important rather than the scheduling, staffing, and timing of air medical transport.
NEMT (Non-Emergency Medical Transportation): When patients have hospital discharges, office visits, or other non-emergent appointments, NEMT is the way to go. This can look different depending on the situation and client, however, these services can include rideshare, ambulatory, wheelchair, or stretcher transport. At Medi-Ops, personalized operations coordinators can match the client to the correct service for medical, personal, and financial needs. NEMT transportation is often utilized when patients don’t have the means to get themselves to medically related appointments. Medical facilities can greatly benefit from having specific NEMT plans or even designated vehicles in order to cater to their patient’s needs in the best ways possible. The demand for NEMT continuously grows, and behavioral health transportation can fall under this category with the need for transportation of patients between medical care facilities.
What Is Behavioral Health Transport?
Behavioral health transport involves specifically designed, equipped, and staffed transportation utilizing secure vehicles in order to ensure the safety and well-being of patients with behavioral and psychological conditions. Secure site transfer for those under specific watch for mental health and behavioral conditions allows for extra supervision and security for these patients.
At Medi-Ops, secure vehicles are used for behavioral health transfers or transports instead of needing an ambulance. Not only does this save on cost, but also allows for quicker, more efficient transportation. The use of secure vehicles and trained personnel ensures patient safety and discretion while also offering the most cost-effective and orderly transport.
Another note on behavioral health transportation is that laws and restrictions vary from state to state. Specific transportation providers are needed in these situations for legal compliance, patient safety, and well-being. Medi-Ops follows all of these standards and as always works from a patient-first perspective to make sure patient comfort and well-being stay on the top of the priority list.
Why Behavioral Health Transportation Matters
Medical needs and transportation can be scary and unnerving for many patients. Serving patients with various psychological needs is important to ensure the proper care and well-being of these patients. Utilizing secure vehicles and trained personnel ensures high levels of care and discretion for those patients with behavioral health needs.
All in all, patient transportation is one of the most essential pieces in the medical care process. Different kinds of transportation serve different patients better, and behavioral health transport is no exception. With the multitude of transportation options, Medi-Ops is able to cater to the needs of every patient with our secure options, connections, security, and technology. Patient transportation, including behavioral health transport, should always be a top priority in the medical transportation industry.