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| Volume 18, Issue 3 | Summer 2006 |
Medical TransportationOne of the intensive training sessions at the CTAA Conference and Expo this year in Orlando, FL, was the National Medical Transportation Conference: Mobile Communities are Healthy Communities held June 5-6, 2006. As the nation's health needs change, the methods of transportation diversify to meet those needs. The 2006 CTAA conference provided an opportunity to join policy makers, providers and advocates from across the nation to share experiences and learn about building partnerships to meet those changing needs of people who need medical assistance and have no available transportation. The program had nine areas of emphasis that were covered over the two day training period. Following, I have identified the major areas and given a brief overview of what was covered. You may also go to the CTAA website http://www.ctaa.org/medconf_recap.asp for copies of some of the PowerPoint presentations. There were about 150 attendees registered for this training session. Challenges of the Future. Chronic illness in the young and the old is increasing. Affordable transportation can help. In the year 2020, 10,000 people will turn 65 every day, and approximately seven years of their lives will be a time when they can't drive. States are now required to ensure necessary transportation to and from medical services for all Medicaid recipients. Medical Transportation: Yesterday and Today. This presentation addressed public transportation as an answer to Medicaid transportation. If it is to work, coordination is essential. SAFETEA-LU encourages private sector participation. Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) is a major opportunity for transit providers. Mobility Management in Public Transit. Vermont told their story of coordination progress across two decades. Miami-Dade Transit created a Medicaid Metro Pass Program. Hopelink uses the brokerage method in Washington State. Transportation's Importance in Treating Chronic Illness. Public transit can help those afflicted with cancer, kidney disease and HIV+/AIDS. More outpatient treatment occurs now than ever before, making available transportation essential. New Federal Initiatives. The Deficit Reduction Act affects your state's outlook on public transportation. State Medicaid Departments must explore various transportation options. Transportation's Impact on Individual's Health. Follow-up treatment, therapy, ongoing care is essential to recovery and wellness. Public transportation can help by partnering with local healthcare entities to conserve costs and advance your transit's role in wellness. Making the Case for Medical Transportation. An online research paper describes the cost of transportation disadvantaged persons missing appointments due to ride availability. Partnership and coordination of services is vital. Promising Programs. A panel comprised of four agencies discussed how medical transportation services can vary to meet the individual needs of their communities. Audience members also participated in the discussion. Emerging Issues in Medical Transportation. Audience members shared ideas and concerns about the direction of transportation and the factors connected with providing safe, efficient transportation. Stretcher transportation is in demand in California and Florida. This conference was a means to exchange information with a varied group of professionals, all of whom have a vested interest in quality transportation. Being in the room with transit providers of all levels of service was a huge benefit. We all learned from each other—from the small, one vehicle project all the way to the fleets of well over 100 vehicles. I would encourage everyone to attend a meeting such as this when you have the opportunity. More information on this pre-conference intensive training will be presented at our DTA meeting in September.
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