How NEMT Software Boosts Efficiency in Healthcare Transportation
Non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) software ensures that people make it to their medical appointments safely and on time.
The goal of any NEMT service provider is to be prompt and diligent and help improve the quality of life for their clients and the community.
Technology continues to boost NEMT software. It brings new efficiencies to help brokers and transport professionals work more effectively and efficiently.
This article discusses how NEMT software is helping the healthcare transportation industry become more reliable and efficient.
The Need for NEMT
Lack of transportation options is a barrier to healthcare access.
The population in the United States continues to get older. By the year 2060, 25% of all Americans will be over the age of 65.
The number of Americans over 85 will triple in that time. As they age, these individuals will find it harder to drive a car, get up and downstairs, and get to doctor’s appointments on time.
Preventative care with a doctor is critical to identify and address health issues early before they become a crisis.
Non-emergency medical transportation exists to help folks be prompt in getting their appointments done, talking to their doctor about their health, and getting the care they need.
The Landscape: NEMT Technology
Fleet management and healthcare technology, including artificial intelligence, virtual reality, healthcare wearables, and nanotechnology, have rapidly evolved.
However, the NEMT industry lags in technology adoption; fleet operators still rely on antiquated, manual systems.
To remain competitive and partner with diverse payers, you must prioritize NEMT technology adoption in the near term.
Technology-driven NEMT solutions offer benefits like improved cash flow, reduced expenses, and decreased billing errors.
Advances in NEMT technology
It was not long ago that NEMT companies did everything by phone.
Someone would call to get an appointment, and they get on the schedule. The car would show up, drive them to the appointment, and move on.
Things are different now, and it is far easier to do all this and manage a growing fleet via software rather than manual processes.
Non-emergency medical transportation software for providers simplifies and streamlines all these processes.
Using data, GPS technology, and scheduling solutions allows you to increase your ability to provide even better customer service for patients.
Benefits of NEMT Software
There are considerable benefits to moving to NEMT software solutions for patients, dispatchers, and care facilities.
Understanding where the benefits come into play for each of the core parties to non-emergency medical transportation gives you the complete picture of the solution.
Patients
Patient benefits start with ease of scheduling, promptness, and communication.
If you are a patient trying to make an appointment for a non-emergency medical transport, you may not have the foresight to call and schedule weeks in advance.
With smartphones and software solutions, you could use software to request a vehicle on-demand. You can see what is available to you, make the request, and get a communication response instantly.
There may be no need for you ever to pick up the phone. Patients can enter their medical insurance information, contact details, and more using the software.
Making the process as simple as possible for patients increases the likelihood they will continue to use your services in the future.
Dispatchers
Dispatchers love NEMT software as it allows them to be effective and precise in what they do.
If a dispatcher gets a request for transport to a doctor’s appointment, the software gives them the schedule right in front of them.
On top of that, they can see where all the vehicles in the fleet are at a given time. If one vehicle is running behind, they can quickly pivot to send another vehicle for that next pickup.
NEMT software enables dispatchers to execute more tasks with greater promptness and diligence.
Care Facilities
Care facilities get a lot of information from non-emergency medical transport software to help them with their patients.
Transport providers can give insights to care facilities if the patient will be late due to an issue with the fleet.
On top of that, care facilities can also subscribe to the software to help refer patients to the service. The care facility may even use the software to help set up the appointment for the patient.
It is all about making things easy, transparent, and efficient.
NEMT and the Need for Software
The industry for non-emergency medical transportation continues to grow.
As the population ages, more will need medical transportation to get to doctor’s appointments on time.
By the year 2026, according to Zion Market Research, the healthcare transportation industry will grow by $10 billion to become a $31 billion industry.
Non-emergency medical transportation is the fastest-growing segment, with a growth rate of over 4% during that time.
As demands increase, the need for healthcare system integration and Medicaid insurance coverage of transport is rising.
Your business needs to be ready to handle the demand.
NEMT software streamlines and automates the management of various business operations, such as scheduling, dispatching, billing, and reporting, resulting in increased efficiency and reduced costs.
It takes in requests for transport, does automatic scheduling, allows patients to manage reservations, and more. Drivers get automation when it comes to maps and routes with traffic information in real-time. Billing and reports about invoices are also one-to-one.
As a non-emergency medical transport service provider, you need technology and software to help you grow with the demands. Managing schedules, your fleet, increasing flexibility, and communication are all critical components.
Software solutions like Tobi continue to make executing your mission easier and provide clients with the best possible service with each ride.
Our solution includes NEMT vehicle scheduling technology within the NEMT dispatch system. It is an all-in-one non-emergency transportation software.
Software solutions like Tobi make it easier to enhance your NEMT business and provide superior service to clients. Contact us today to learn more about how Tobi can help take your business to the next level.