Local and Long-Distance Medical Transportation, Puyallup and Beyond!

In the Puyallup, Washington area, hospitals, emergency rooms, and nursing facilities are experiencing a significant need for reliable wheelchair and non-emergency stretcher transportation services.  This demand stems from a combination of factors, including an aging population, increased healthcare needs, and a shortage of quality transportation providers.

Despite the presence of these services, there remains a notable gap in transportation availability:

• Provider Closures: In December 2022, Falck Northwest Corp., a significant player in non-emergency medical transportation, ceased its Washington operations, resulting in the layoff of 123 workers. This closure has exacerbated the shortage of reliable transportation options in the region. 

• Driver Shortages:  The industry faces a scarcity of qualified drivers, leading to increased wait times and scheduling challenges for patients requiring transportation to medical appointments.  

The lack of dependable transportation services has several repercussions:

• Delayed Discharges: Hospitals may experience delays in discharging patients due to the unavailability of timely transportation, leading to increased operational costs and reduced bed availability for incoming patients.

• Missed Appointments: Patients in nursing facilities or at home may miss critical medical appointments, adversely affecting their health outcomes and potentially leading to readmissions.

To address these challenges, Safari Medical Transportation continues to work and collaborate with local and state agencies and local facilities to discuss funding to ensure proper staffing and adequate resources, and to develop coordinated logistics to ensure timely response so patients do miss necessary medical appoints, and thus, incur more cost.