We know that there are governmental measures in place that will increase the demand for our industry, but is that the only reason we’ll see a rise in NEMT? Most certainly not.
According to a global market report on NEMT, our industry is due “to grow from US$ 8,658.87 million in 2021 to US$ 15,579.98 million by 2028.” That means that in the next few years we will see our industry nearly double.
According to that same report, two factors were identified as contributing elements:
- An increase in the occurrence of chronic disease
- An aging population that continues to have a higher proportion of elderly
Both of these factors will mean certain similar elements can be put in place to meet the needs of these demographics. This could include such things as:
- Increasing the number of wheelchair-accessible vehicles.
- Increasing training measures to understand how to best serve those with differences in physical ability and approach their needs with sensitivity.
- Offering more self-serve options through transit booking technology or other means.
- Looking for ways to scale up quickly.
For those looking to better serve the aging population specifically, we would also recommend looking into training programs on how to best help those with Alzheimer’s. What you think might be helpful to someone living with Alzheimer’s can sometimes be detrimental.
The market report referenced earlier also identified some legitimate concerns about the industry that are hampering growth. We’d like to take the time to respond to each and propose possible ways forward.
Lack of Efficient Oversight Systems
While NEMTAC does a good job of helping set the standard for our industry, we still agree that we can do better. As a growing industry, it’s important to look for ways that we can self-regulate and increase accountability. With increased governmental involvement, we may also see increased opportunities to address this concern. Simply staying informed and checking that you’re compliant may help.
Rise in Fraud in NEMT
This is a concern that could be addressed – to a certain degree – by tackling the previously discussed issue. Fraud is a complex and nuanced topic, so it’s something we will want to explore more in-depth in its own article. In the meantime, a possible solution is to further empower members to book trips with the right transit booking technology.
Lack of Transportation in Rural Areas
We couldn’t agree more! We explored ways that NEMT can help rural communities in one of our previous articles, but that focused more on the impact it can have and less on the lack of transportation. But one point, in particular, could address this issue (in part): community outreach.
We understand that going to highly-remote areas can put a financial strain on an NEMT company, but we’re here to serve above all else. The best way to find a happy medium is to ask those rural communities what kind of transportation they require and plan accordingly. It may be that a community only needs a monthly stop, which is well worth it, in our opinion.
Making Medical Transportation Management Future-Proof
The best way to stay relevant is to look ahead and adjust accordingly, but we can only look ahead when we address current issues in our industry. We recommend you take a look at your own operation and try to get ahead of these issues so you can start looking to the future as well.
