When Getting There Matters: The Role of Transportation in Critical Care

In the United States, about 2 in every 1,000 people are living with end-stage kidney disease, and 68% of those patients are on dialysis. Most of them go to a dialysis center several days a week for hours to filter their blood outside their body, essentially doing the work their kidneys can no longer do. This treatment is, quite literally, helping to keep them alive.

Studies have shown that rates of kidney disease are higher for low-income residents and minorities, and that kidney disease can make economic barriers even worse.

Tied closely to economic insecurity is transportation insecurity, one of the most common social determinants of health. A recent study found that nearly 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. struggle with inadequate access to transportation. This is especially pressing for people who must get regular care for chronic conditions, such as dialysis for end-stage kidney disease or chemotherapy treatment for cancer.

How can the healthcare system better ensure these people can get the care they need? Non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) is a major resource, but it’s not enough to simply offer transportation benefits for outpatient care: Patients must be able to count on their NEMT provider to get them to their appointments regularly, safely, and on time.