What Dialysis Centers Should Ask a Transportation Partner

If you run a dialysis center, you already know how it works. A patient who may come three times a week, every week, for years, has missed a session due to ride cancellation at the last minute. And a missed session is a bad day for everyone: it's chaotic for the patient as they couldn't reach the clinic, the chair sits empty, and your charge nurse spends the afternoon rearranging the schedule.

So, when you choose patient transportation for dialysis clinics, the usual questions (price, coverage area, how many vehicles) aren't the ones that matter most. Those come later. First, find out how the company behaves when things go wrong, because on a dialysis route, things will go wrong. A van breaks down. A driver may fall sick.

Ask how standing ride schedules work

Most dialysis patients ride on a repeating schedule. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, same time, same pickup. Ask the company how they set that up. Is it one booking that repeats, or does someone have to rebook every week? I'd be wary of the second one, because it works fine until one week somebody forgets.

Then ask the awkward follow-ups. What if a patient's chair time moves from 6 a.m. to noon? What if they're in the hospital for a week and nobody tells the driver? How much notice do you need to give to pause a ride, and what happens at a holiday?

You aren't after perfect answers. You want people who've clearly dealt with this before.

Ask who picks up the phone

This one gets skipped constantly. Your front desk doesn't have time to chase a dispatcher. Find out who your staff call when a ride is 20 minutes late, whether it's a person or a menu, and how long it usually takes someone to answer. Ask what the company does after a no-show: do they call the patient, call you, or log it and move on?

If you hear “we rarely have late rides,” that's not an answer. Ask again.

Look at the driver, not just the van

Dialysis leaves people wrung out. Some are shaky, some are cold, some just want to lie down at home. A driver who rushes them is a problem. A driver who waits at the door until the patient is inside is worth keeping.

So, ask how drivers are screened and trained, and whether they help from door to seat. Ask whether patients get the same driver most of the time. Plenty of patients do better with someone familiar, and your staff will know who to expect. And match the vehicles to your patients: how many of your patients use wheelchairs, and does the company have enough accessible vehicles at the busiest shifts?

Check the boring paperwork

Licensing rules differ by state, so ask what the company holds in yours and how you can confirm it. Ask what insurance they carry. Ask what patient information they need from you, and how they protect it.

Then, money. Who pays for the rides: the patient, your clinic, a plan, a state program? How are the invoices sent? Who do you call when one looks wrong? It's dull, and it's where partnerships quietly fall apart six months in.

Try before you commit

If you can, start with a handful of patients for a month. Watch the pickup times. Ask your front desk for what they've noticed and ask the patients themselves. A short trial tells you more than a sales call ever will.

Where Arigo fits

Arigo is preparing to offer non-emergency medical transportation in Washington and California. If you run a dialysis clinic, tell us about your patients, your shifts and what they need, and we'll tell you honestly what we can cover.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far ahead should a dialysis clinic set up rides?: As soon as you know who needs them. Ask each company how much lead time it needs for a standing schedule, since it varies.
Who pays for dialysis rides?: It depends on the patient's coverage. For some it's Medicaid or a health plan; for others the patient or the clinic. Sort that out before the first ride, not after.
What if a patient's chair time changes?: Ask before you sign. A decent partner can adjust to a standing ride with reasonable notice. If they can't, keep looking.