Resource Guide for Care Teams
How Case Managers Arrange Patient Transportation
A practical guide for hospital case managers, discharge planners, and social workers on booking patient transportation accurately and on time across Dallas-Fort Worth.
Why Clear Information Up Front Saves Time
Case managers, discharge planners, and social workers are usually arranging transportation for several patients at once, often under time pressure. The single biggest factor in getting a smooth, on-time pickup is giving the transportation provider complete information the first time, rather than a partial request that has to be followed up on.
This guide covers what to have ready before you call, how to think through equipment and mobility needs, and how to set up recurring transportation for patients who need it, so your unit or facility can book with confidence.
Information a Transportation Provider Needs to Book Correctly
- Pickup location: exact unit, floor, or entrance — not just the facility name
- Destination and level of care: home, skilled nursing, inpatient rehab, another hospital, or a specific outpatient clinic
- Mobility status: ambulatory, uses a walker or cane, wheelchair-dependent, or requires a stretcher
- Equipment: oxygen (and flow rate, if known), IV pole, wound vac, or other medical equipment traveling with the patient
- Weight and size considerations, if bariatric equipment or a larger vehicle may be needed
- Time window: an exact time if known, or an estimated window with a note that discharge timing may shift
- A direct contact name and phone number for the unit or family member who can coordinate the handoff at pickup
Timing Discharge Rides Realistically
Discharge timing is notoriously unpredictable — a physician's final order, pharmacy delay, or paperwork can push an expected 11 AM discharge to 2 PM. Booking a ride for the earliest possible time and updating it as needed generally works better than waiting until the patient is fully ready to make the call, since transportation providers need lead time to route drivers.
When you book, it helps to flag explicitly that the time is an estimate and that you'll confirm or adjust as the actual discharge time firms up. A transportation provider used to hospital work will expect this and build slack into their schedule accordingly, rather than treating a shifted time as a problem.
Wheelchair vs. Bariatric vs. Ambulatory: Making the Right Call
Choosing the right vehicle type up front avoids a delay at pickup when the wrong equipment shows up. Ambulatory patients who can walk short distances and get into a standard vehicle with minimal assistance don't need a wheelchair van, but should still be flagged if they're unsteady or at fall risk. Patients who use a wheelchair for any part of the trip, even briefly, need a wheelchair-accessible vehicle with a ramp or lift, not just a larger car.
Bariatric patients need to be flagged specifically and as early as possible — bariatric-capable vehicles and equipment are more limited, and a provider needs advance notice to make sure the right van, ramp weight capacity, and staffing are lined up. When in doubt about which category a patient falls into, describe the patient's actual mobility (can they pivot-transfer, bear weight, sit upright unassisted) rather than guessing a category, and let the transportation provider make the equipment call.
Transfers Between Levels of Care
Transfers from a hospital to a skilled nursing facility, inpatient rehab, or another hospital for a higher level of care come with their own logistics. Make sure the transportation provider has the receiving facility's exact address and, ideally, a contact name at the receiving unit so the driver isn't left trying to find the right entrance or department on arrival.
If the patient is transferring with medical records, discharge paperwork, or medications that need to travel with them, let the driver or dispatch know in advance so nothing is left behind at pickup.
Setting Up Recurring Treatment Transportation
For patients being discharged into an ongoing treatment schedule, such as dialysis, wound care, or outpatient infusion, it's often worth setting up a standing recurring schedule with the transportation provider at the time of discharge rather than leaving the family to arrange it later. This is especially valuable for patients without reliable family support, where a gap in transportation could mean a missed treatment.
When setting up recurring transportation, provide the treatment schedule (days and times), the clinic address, and expected duration of the pattern (ongoing, or a fixed number of weeks), so the provider can plan driver capacity accordingly.
Communication Expectations
A transportation provider working with hospitals and facilities should be reachable by phone for both booking and day-of changes, and should proactively communicate delays rather than leaving unit staff to wonder where a driver is. It's reasonable to expect a status update if a pickup is going to be more than 15–20 minutes late.
On your end, giving as much advance notice as possible for known changes, and a direct callback number for same-day adjustments, keeps the relationship working smoothly over time.
Setting Up a Facility Account
Hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, dialysis clinics, and case management teams that book transportation regularly generally benefit from setting up a standing facility account rather than treating each ride as a one-off request. A facility account typically means a designated contact for scheduling, consistent billing arrangements, and a transportation provider who already understands your building's entrances, unit layout, and common destinations.
To set one up, reach out directly to discuss your facility's typical volume and patient mix. Presence NEMT works with hospital case managers, discharge planners, and skilled nursing facilities across Dallas-Fort Worth to set up these accounts. Learn more on our page for healthcare professionals, our hospital discharge transportation page, or our facility transportation page, and call or text (817) 900-NEMT to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What information should I have ready before calling to book a patient transport?
- Pickup unit and destination, mobility and equipment needs (including oxygen or bariatric considerations), a time window, and a direct contact number for coordination at pickup.
- How should I handle a discharge time that isn't confirmed yet?
- Book based on the earliest realistic estimate and flag it as tentative. We build in flexibility for hospital discharges and will adjust as the actual time firms up.
- How do I know if a patient needs a bariatric vehicle instead of a standard wheelchair van?
- Describe the patient's actual size, weight, and transfer ability rather than guessing a category, and we'll confirm the right vehicle and staffing in advance.
- Can you set up recurring transportation at the time of discharge for ongoing treatment?
- Yes. If a patient is being discharged into a dialysis, wound care, or infusion schedule, we can set up a standing weekly schedule before they leave the facility.
- Does Presence NEMT work with facilities on a standing account basis?
- Yes, we set up facility accounts for hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and case management teams with a consistent contact and billing arrangement. Call us to discuss your facility's needs.
Set Up a Facility Transportation Account
Call or text Presence NEMT and a local team member will help you arrange transportation. No health details are required upfront to get started.