Phone lines
Medi-Cal plans must have a direct line to their transportation liaison where members and providers can request rides and get status updates. When a ride is late, that is the line a member calls, and the plan or broker then calls the provider.
Tracking pages and texts
A text with a link answers the question before the call: the van’s position and an estimate on the pickup window, the driver’s first name and the vehicle, in the rider’s language. A good page shows no health information, works without an app or a password, and stops showing the ride a few hours after drop-off.
Caregivers and clinic staff often want the same updates as the rider, especially for hand-to-hand riders.
What it means for the provider
Every “where is my ride?” call answered by a page is a call dispatch doesn’t take during the morning rush. And a rider who knows the van is coming is waiting at the door, which means fewer no-shows.
Related terms
- Pickup windowThe pickup window is the span of time around a scheduled pickup that counts as on time, for example 15 minutes before to 15 minutes after.
- No-showA no-show is a pickup where the van arrives on time but the rider isn’t there or won’t ride.
- Will-callA will-call is a return leg booked without a pickup time.
- Curb-to-curb, door-to-door and door-through-doorCurb-to-curb, door-to-door, door-through-door and hand-to-hand are service levels: they say how far the driver goes with the rider, from the vehicle only to handing them to a named person inside.
Sources
Checked on . Rules change: check the current version with the payer before you bill.