Hospital to hospice travel is difficult under the best of circumstances. For those who need a commercial airline flight, it can add an extra layer of complexity and stress. However, it’s not something people have to do alone.
Non-emergency medical transportation services provide an option for families searching for ways to safely transport a loved one from hospital to hospice. Given the situation, it’s one of the more demanding journeys a family can make. Having a flight nurse travel with a patient can make the journey less stressful.
For seniors looking to reduce the stress of travel, NEMT can offer assistance in any situation involving travel for the elderly, including making the journey from hospital to hospice.
Elderly Transport From Hospital to Hospice
The first consideration in transporting people from hospital to hospice is practicing kindness and respect toward the patient. For those searching for NEMT services in this area, make sure that the treatment from the outset reflects this mindset.
When researching NEMT companies to provide hospital to hospice transport, focus on companies that address the following areas.
- Making all travel arrangements, including any special services needed to help the patient easily get through the airport and on board the plane
- Any special accommodations needed in-flight
- Medical services when required throughout the flight, including keeping track of medications and medical equipment
- Going over the trip plan in advance to prepare the patient and family
It’s helpful to work with those who have experience working with airlines and airports at both domestic and international destinations, making it easier to set up any special accommodations. Nurses who fly with patients from hospital to hospice should also have years of experience in providing care and hold the necessary certifications to provide medical care at high altitudes.
An Example of Hospital to Hospice Transportation
Flying Angels recently had the honor of working with Jill Connaway in transporting her mother from a hospital in Missouri to Jill’s home in California. She found Flying Angels while doing research. As she wrote in a Facebook post, she heard from CEO Bob Bacheler within an hour after reaching out through the Flying Angels website.
“He was clear and upfront about what the estimated cost and process to get mom home would be. He was extremely patient and flexible as the plan continued to change as mom bounced between the hospital and rehab center for a month,” she wrote. “When it finally went time, he had our travel coordinated within 48 hours, including a ticket for me, so I could be on the same flight with mom.”
She said the flight nurse who traveled with her Mom, Elise, “was awesome.” She visited the day before the trip, setting expectations and preparing the pair for the trip. Jill wrote that Elise did everything possible to make the difficult trip “smooth and seamless.”
“She coordinated all of the details with the hospital. And she is just a very kind, congenial person,” she wrote. “Her attention to detail is superb. And the fact that she managed our travel so well really took a lot of the stress off of me and my mom. Plus she was very encouraging, especially at the very end of the trip when mom was so exhausted; she really cheered her on and kept her going.”
Expertise in Medical Transport
Flying Angels has years of experience providing non-emergency medical transport (NEMT) to patients in all types of situations. They include people injured while traveling who need to get back home, seniors relocating to a new home, and those with disabilities or medical conditions that make it difficult to travel on their own.
However, traveling from hospital to hospice is one of the most special journeys a person can make when using NEMT. The nurses and staff at Flying Angels feel gratitude for being asked to provide medical care during such an important time.
Jill summed up the company’s approach in her Facebook post. “I am so pleased that I reached out to Flying Angels,” she wrote, “I am grateful that there are people like Bob and Elise in the world who care so deeply and take such good care of people who are often in the most vulnerable places in their lives.”