Patient Ambulation and Assistance

1.  Under Ambulation, select how the patient moves from place to place. This information helps inform what kind of vehicle needs to be dispatched for them.

If the patient ambulates without the assistance of a device like a cane, walker, or wheelchair, select walks without support. 

If the patient ambulates with a device like a cane or a walker, select walks with cane/walker/crutches and specify whether they are only able to get into and out of a higher vehicle like an SUV or a lower vehicle like a sedan. If they have no preference, select any vehicle.

If the patient travels in a wheelchair select travels in a wheelchair and specify whether they must remain in wheelchair or NOT remain in wheelchair - can fold chair and transfer.  

If the patient prefers NOT to remain in wheelchair and can fold chair and transfer, specify whether they are only able to get into and out of a higher vehicle like an SUV or a lower vehicle like a sedan. If they have no preference, select any vehicle.

If the patient must remain in wheelchair, specify whether the patient is bariatric. If the patient is bariatric, specify the patient’s weight, whether the patient’s home is equipped with a ramp and whether the patient needs help getting up and down steps. If the patient does require assistance getting up and down steps, specify the number of steps.

Select requires a stretcher van if the patient is medically stable but needs to lie flat during transportation. This setting defaults to a non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) provider equipped to handle the patient’s needs.

Select requires basic life support if the patient requires continuous medical attention/monitoring during transport. This setting defaults to an ambulance provider equipped to handle the patient’s needs.

Select requires advanced life support if the patient requires continuous advanced medical attention/monitoring during transport. This setting defaults to an ambulance provider equipped to handle the patient’s needs.

2.  Under Assistance, select the level of assistance the patient requires when traveling.

If the patient is fully able to walk to, and get into and out of, the vehicle without any assistance, select no assistance.

If the patient can walk to and from the vehicle without assistance but needs assistance getting into and out of the vehicle, select only assistance getting into and out of vehicle. The driver will receive a message advising them to assist the patient getting into and out of the vehicle. 

If the patient requires assistance getting from the entrance of the location where they are picked up to the inside of the vehicle, and from the inside of the vehicle to the entrance of the location where they are dropped off, select assistance getting from door of pickup location to door of drop off location. The driver will receive a message advising them to assist the patient getting from door to door.  

If the patient requires assistance getting from the inside of the location where they are picked up to the inside of the vehicle, and from the inside of the vehicle to the inside of the location where they are dropped off, select assistance getting from door of pickup location through door of drop off location. The driver will receive a message advising them to assist the patient getting from door through door.  

3.  If the patient needs assistance loading an item into the vehicle, select Yes and specify the item in the text box (for example, oxygen tank). The driver will receive a message advising them to assist the patient in loading the item into the car.

4.  Click Continue.