A Full Guide on NEMT as a Service and Business - A Full Guide on NEMT as a Service and Business

Many patients around the world are unable to go to their doctor's appointments due to a lack of transportation facilities. These patients are either not mentally or physically fit to drive their vehicles or, they might not have access to public transportation. Several non-emergency patients often miss their checkups and follow-up appointments due to unavailability of transportation which ends up causing postponed or canceled appointments and consequently, loss to the medical industry. These losses add up every day and account for billions of dollars worth of losses to the medical industry in terms of unbilled equipment and doctor's time. 

To counter this growing problem, non-emergency medical transportation services or NEMT services were introduced and were first offered as a benefit in the Medicaid Program of the US back in 1966. Lack of transportation is a common and quite significant social determinant of health. The social determinants of health are the socioeconomic factors of a person that directly or indirectly affects their health such as availability of clean food, education and literacy, income, access to proper transportation, and many more. 

What are the Non-emergency medical transportation options? 

A business with proper NEMT dispatch software can provide several options for transportation such as ambulances and even personal vehicles given that the patient does not require emergency services. Transportation options also include TNC or transportation network companies such as Lyft and Uber. Many healthcare providers collaborate with such network companies to provide proficient transportation services to their patients who require NEMT services. Several businesses use NEMT dispatch software to dispatch buses and vans with wheelchair access to transport multiple patients or groups of patients to hospitals and clinics.

Who can avail NEMT services? 

Businesses with a NEMT dispatch software can make their services available to patients that comes under the following categories:

●     Elderly patients

●     Patients lacking cognitive abilities or are specially-abled mentally and/or physically

●     Patients who come from a low-income background

●     Patients who cannot travel alone due to their health conditions or other factors

●     Patients who fit any of the above qualifications and do not have access to any personal vehicle or driver's license 

For what purpose can a patient avail NEMT services? 

NEMT service providers with proper NEMT dispatch software do not cover any kind of medical emergencies as they are not equipped with the proper resources to do so. What they do cover is non-emergency patients who need a ride to the hospital and can't go on their own. To make it clearer, here are some instances on when a patient can avail NEMT services: 

●     When patients want to go for a follow up medical checkup appointments

●     To visit any mental health provider

●     To cover their regular visits to the doctor's clinic

●     To go to the hospital outpatient services or any other non-emergency medical services as well as to come back home from there 

Payment for NEMT services 

While the cover ambulance charges, it is not mandatory for private insurance companies to cover NEMT services for patients. However, patients having Medicaid coverage can avail the benefit of such services if they happen to be elderly, specially-abled, or from a low-income family. For patients who do not have insurance coverage, the NEMT services are still available but with a fee. This fee differs depending on which NEMT company they choose or which company the patient’s healthcare provider has partnered with. The patient can avail of a pay-as-you-go basis plan where they have to pay the initial fee for pickup and then additional fees for every kilometer they travel. They might also have to pay added fees for any medical devices or oxygen tanks accompanying them. 

How To Start Your Own NEMT Business? 

The NEMT industry is growing consistently as more healthcare providers are taking initiatives to provide complete care for their patients as well as to prevent incurring losses via missed or canceled appointments. If you are interested in NEMT dispatch software and are considering entering this business, here are a few tips to consider: 

1. Build Contracts 

One of the most important steps while starting a NEMT business is to build contracts. Before trying to hoard vehicles and drivers for your business, you must first spend time on establishing contracts with agencies and facilities in your area that provide NEMT services. With a NEMT dispatch software of your own or an app integrated with NEMT dispatch software, you can even gain exposure and reach out to patients who have no insurance coverage and no tie-ups with external agencies or facilities.

2. Fleet and Drivers 

If you establish contracts and deals with agencies and healthcare providers before assembling your fleet, you will know just the amount of vehicles you will need to start your business. This is both cost-effective as well as time-saving for you as now you will neither have an excess of vehicles nor a shortage of it. 

When it comes to hiring drivers, look for drivers with proper NEMT certification who can securely transport patients along with medical equipment. Once you get access to a NEMT dispatch software and have your app, you can further build your fleet and grow as a company.  

3. Grow Your Business 

Similar to starting any other business, starting a NEMT business requires proper planning, having goals and targets, as well as a budget. You need to either do a bit of research and do your own company’s marketing or hire a marketing professional to aid you. Moreover, you would need a website for your company with all information and preferably NEMT dispatch software to help you with your business as it grows. A good quality NEMT dispatch software will help you manage your fleet and drivers as well as facilitate quicker operations. 

NEMT services can be effective in countering the lack of proper transportation which hinders patients and prevents them from getting the best healthcare that they require. By getting rid of this barrier to healthcare, NEMT services can effectively increase the quality of life for people and even a whole community.