Transportation Initiative

About the Initiative

In any given year, at least 3.6 million Americans do not obtain medical care because of a lack of transportation.[1] Evidence shows that access to reliable transportation correlates with improved health outcomes and increases the utilization of services.[2]

HOP’s Transportation Initiative documented the impact of transportation barriers on healthcare costs and promoted patient-centered transportation solutions through data gathering tools and effective collaborations. The initiative consisted of two key projects: Rides to Wellness Community Scan and Not Just A Ride. The projects were funded by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), respectively. To learn more about the initiative, download a one-page summary and the press release.

Recent Efforts

Rides to Wellness Community Scan

Quantified the financial impacts of missed appointments.

  • National Survey: Implemented a national survey of health centers and private providers to identify the impact of lack of transportation on missed medical appointments and associated health care costs. Key partners included the FTA, the Veteran’s Health Administration, and United Healthcare.
  • Community Profiles: Developed six profiles illustrating communities that are adopting patient-centered transportation solutions that show promising opportunities for return on investment.
Read the final report

Not Just a Ride

Strengthens existing transportation efforts at health centers.

  • Quality Improvement Toolkit: Developed a toolkit for health centers to support efforts on planning and implementing services to address transportation barriers faced by their patients.
  • Learning Collaboratives: Established of three (3) state-based, peer-learning collaboratives for health centers, Primary Care Associations, clinic consortia, and other key partners to identify strategies, share successes, and document lessons learned.
  • Transportation Resource Maps: Developed of three (3) state-based, interactive maps that include transportation resources and services for learning collaborative participants.

Access the toolkit here!

Access the Tool Kit

For more information

If you are interested in more information about HOP’s Transportation Initiative, please contact Sonia Lee, Senior Manager, at 510-268-0091, ext. 109 or sonia@outreach-partners.org.

FOOTNOTES

[1] Wallace, R., Hughes-Cromwick, P., & Mull, H. (2005). Access to Health Care and Nonemergency Medical Transportation: Two Missing Links. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 1924. Retrieved from http://www.tdsa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Access-to-Health-Care-and-Nonemergency-Medical-Transportation-Two-Missing-Links.pdf

[2] Arcury, T.A, Gesler, W.M, Preisser, J.S., Sherman, J., Spencer, J., & Perin, J. (2005). The Effects of Geography and Spatial Behavior on Health Care Utilization among the Residents of a Rural Region. Health Services Research, 40(1), 135-156. doi: 10.1111/j.1475-6773.2005.00346.x. Kim, J., Norton, E.C., & Stearns, S.C. (2009, February). Transportation Brokerage Services and Medicaid Beneficiaries’ Access to Care. Health Services Research, 44, 145-161. doi: 10.1111/j.1475-6773.2008.00907.x