Patient Transportation
Arranging for transportation home following an emergency visit, appointment or hospital stay is every patient's responsibility. Friends and family members are generally the first choice for transportation following care, but NHH recognizes that circumstances can arise when this may not be possible. The following information explains how patients and their families or Substitute Decision Maker (SDM) should plan for safe and timely transportation home. It also identifies alternative resources that may be available. This information is also available in brochure format. Please ask a member of your NHH health care team for a copy.
Patient's Responsibility:
Upon discharge home
'Home' is considered one's place of residence, and includes, but is not limited to: retirement home, long-term care facility, supportive housing, convalescent care, etc.
Please plan for transportation ahead of time with family or friends and tell a member of the patient's health care team about these arrangements. Discharges from NHH can occur at any time. Patients may be asked to wait in the lobby or lounge if their transportation has not arrived before being discharged, so their room can be prepared for the next patient who needs it.
Appointments not related to care a patient is presently receiving
In rare circumstances, patients who are in hospital may choose to travel to an appointment not related to the care they are presently receiving.
In these cases, an order from the physician confirming that the patient is stable enough to leave temporarily is required. The patient, family or SDM is responsible for arranging and paying for non-emergency or non-medically necessary transportation. Examples include but are not limited to a pre-scheduled appointment with a dentist.
Subsidized Transportation Services To Help Patients Get Home After A Hospital Stay:
If friends or family members are not available, the following services may be other options for patients in our area.
Home at Last
Recognizing that some of us do not have a nearby friend or family member to call on, the Central East Local Health Integration Network (Central East LHIN) established the Home at Last program to support aging adults and adults with special needs.
Free of charge to those who are eligible, Home at Last helps transport and settle patients back in their home safely and comfortable after a hospital stay. A referral from a member of the health care team is required and would be arranged in collaboration with the patient, family or SDM. This program is a partnership between hospitals and community support services.
Community Care Northumberland (CCN)
CCN offers fee-for-service transportation door to door, as well as other support services. Volunteer drivers are available to take people to appointments. CCN also operates several wheelchair accessible vans to transport individuals who require this type of specialized service. Rides are available to destinations both within Northumberland County and beyond. All rides for both the volunteer and accessible van service must be pre-booked, if possible two days prior, and all bookings are based on volunteer and van availability. Fees are the responsibility of the client and payable to the driver. Any required parking for out of town medical appointments is also the responsibility of the client. For information and fees, contact 1-705-653-1020.
Other Private Transportation Services Available In Our Region:
Buses
Cobourg Transit - 905-373-0582
Port Hope Transit - 905-885-2431
Taxis
Wheelchair accessible
Wheel Trans* - 905-373-0582
Non-wheelchair accessible
A2B Taxi - 905-373-6769
Cobourg Cab - 905-373-9449
First Choice Taxi - 905-375-8816
Ganaraska Taxi - 289-829-3636
Port Hope Taxi - 905-885-7264
Non-ambulance transfer services (suited for patients who require a stretcher)
There are a number of private medical transportation services in our region, including:
Voyageur - 1-855-263-7163
Pioneer - 1-866-777-2341
*Cobourg destinations only; application by a regulated health professional required.
Other
NEW not-for-profit personal transportation provider, Filling Travel Gaps - 905-207-0215
Serving Northumberland County and currently operating weekday evenings, weekends and holidays, this service has been established locally to support transportation home from the hospital and other transportation needs when the options above are not available. Operating on a first-come, first-served basis, this personal transportation provider offers seating for a maximum of four passengers plus ample baggage capacity configured to accommodate up to two wheelchairs.
For all of the above, payment must be made directly to the service provider; charges vary according to the service provider selected and the distance traveled. Please speak to a member of the patient's health care team for help booking private transportation.
Note: NHH does not endorse one private service provider over another. Options above are provided for information only. Contact information is subject to change without notice.
Charges
In the event that patients, family members or SDMs fail to make the necessary arrangements for transportation requirements that fall outside the hospital's responsibility, charges will be incurred. Questions? Please don't hesitate to ask a member of the patient's health care team.