How do I arrange non-emergency ground medical transport between facilities?
Answer
Ask the discharging hospital’s case management or social work team to arrange gurney or stretcher transport to the accepting skilled nursing facility. Provide clinical details such as non-weight-bearing status and the receiving facility’s acceptance.
Before you start: stop right away if…
- Do not move a non-weight-bearing patient in a standard car or rideshare.
Follow these steps
Contact hospital case management
Ask the nurse station to connect you with case management or social work for discharge transport to the skilled nursing facility.
You should see: A coordinator owns the transport arrangement.
Share the clinical transport needs clearly
Tell them the patient has an inoperable broken hip or similar restriction, post-stroke weakness if applicable, cannot bear weight, and needs a safe gurney/stretcher transfer to the accepting facility.
You should see: The team books an appropriate level of non-emergency medical transport.
Confirm accepting facility details
Provide the skilled nursing facility name, city, and acceptance contacts so the transporter knows the destination and intake requirements.
You should see: Pickup and drop-off details are scheduled with both facilities.
Verify timing and who rides along
Ask for the pickup window, whether a family member may accompany, and what documents must travel with the patient.
You should see: Everyone knows the transport time and paperwork checklist.
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Extra tips
What to look for: Hospital case management contacts, accepting facility confirmation, and stretcher or gurney ambulance/van booking
Before you change anything: Confirm the receiving skilled nursing facility has accepted the patient. Gather patient identifiers and clinical restrictions from the care team. Do not attempt transfers in a regular car if the patient cannot bear weight safely. Use hospital-arranged transport for medical safety and liability coverage.