Patient Transportation Policy Revised at MHA

Middlesex Hospital Alliance (MHA) is revising its existing transportation policy for non-urgent patient transportation.

"The revision will require patients to take financial responsibility for non-urgent transportation instead of the hospital paying for it," Nancy Maltby-Webster, COO at MHA, says. Prior to 2003-2004, the municipality covered the costs of patient transportation for non-emergencies. When the County of Middlesex elected to not provide this transportation, the MHA took on the expense.

Non-urgent transportation refers to specific non-emergency trips by patients from either of the MHA facilities. The policy revisions occurring at MHA will mean that the hospital will no longer pay for a patient's transportation home (including to a long term care facility); to an appointment booked prior to admission; and to another facility for ongoing medical treatment, such as dialysis. Patients at the MHA will not be responsible to pay for transportation to another facility for diagnostic tests or medical intervention ordered by the Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital (SMGH) or Four Counties Health Services (FCHS). This includes MRI, bone scans and angiograms, for example. Additionally patients will not pay for transportation between the two sites.

In the 2007/08 fiscal year, the cost of non-urgent transportation from SMGH was $265,000 and at FCHS it was $56, 000. "At Strathroy, 34% of this cost is used for returning discharged patients to long Long-Term Care homes in the area," Maltby-Webster says.

An average cost for non-urgent transportation is significant: it costs more than $150 to travel from SMGH to Sprucedale Care Centre (about two blocks away), more than $300 for a trip to a London hospital and back, and more than $500 for a return trip between the MHA facilities.

In a survey of 14 hospitals across three LHINs, the cost of non-urgent transportation was identified as a concern by all. Many hospitals across the province currently have a patient-pay policy for some or all non-urgent patient transportation. The LHIN has identified non-urgent transportation as a province-wide issue however they have, up until now, not provided funding or alternative solutions to hospitals recovering costs for this service.

The changes to the MHA policy will take effect on July 15, 2008 and in preparation, staff education sessions are underway. Additionally, meetings are scheduled with the community partners, transportation companies and Long-Term Care Homes and Retirement Homes in the area.

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Patient Transportation Policy Revised at MHA