To Successfully Build your Transportation Community, You First Need to Learn What It Is
A transportation community, or transportation network, is a group of non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) providers that a hospital relies on to provide patients with rides from point A to B. Hospitals typically have formal agreements with these transportation providers, which outline service standards such as expected wait times and arrival windows. Some common examples of networks are:
- In-house fleet with supplemental providers: Some hospitals depend on their staff and vehicles to transport patients to and from the hospital. Due to capacity constraints, these hospitals choose to call upon external transportation providers as needed.
- Preferred provider: Some hospitals collaborate with a preferred external transportation provider to support their patients’ ride needs. These hospitals will typically call upon the same company before reaching out to supplementary external transportation providers.
- Broker model: A single external transportation provider manages all ride demand and takes on risk for all transportation performance.
- Free marketplace: Some hospitals work with various external transportation providers to fulfill their ride requests. From this list, they select whichever company is available and can offer the quickest response time.
Why Several Providers Are Better Than One
A network that utilizes multiple providers is better suited to handle the evolving needs of your patients. Here are some reasons why:
- Availability: In cases where one transportation provider has no available vehicles at a specific time, hospitals need to have alternative provider options. Without overflow providers, there may be delays in discharge.
- Supporting local businesses: By implementing a multiple-provider model, hospitals create opportunities for local businesses to thrive and grow. These partnerships not only help transportation providers support their operations but also stimulate economic activity within the community.
- Competition: The presence of competition among transportation providers can be a powerful motivator to deliver their best performance. When these providers compete for hospital rides alongside other companies, they are acutely aware that their performance is a crucial factor in winning and retaining business.
If you’d like to learn more about what a Transportation Community is, or what goes into the process of establishing one in your organization, check out our e-book.
