Non-emergency medical transportation practice in Shanghai

Abstract

Background: To describe the current landscape of non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) services in China’s mainland, and analyze information obtained from a private NEMT company in Shanghai. Methods: With regards to the NEMT environment in China’s mainland, we collected relevant NEMT policies from the websites of local Health Commissions, and collected business operating data from a Chinese enterprise information query tool, Qichacha. With regards to NEMT service in Shanghai, we analyzed operating data from 3426 trips by a professional NEMT company. Descriptive statistics were used to explain the characteristics of NEMT trips, and log-linear analyses were performed to compare the trips inside Shanghai with trips to/from other areas. Results: Of the 3426 trips in this study, there were 2962 trips inside Shanghai (86.5%) and 464 trips to/from other areas (13.5%), and the number of trips to/from each province was related to the distance to Shanghai. When comparing transportation types between trips inside Shanghai and to/from other areas, there was a significant difference (χ2=144.87, p<0.001), with a significantly larger proportion of trips for discharge to/from other areas, and a significantly larger proportion of referrals in trips inside Shanghai. Over 50% of trips were to orthopedics-featured class A tertiary hospitals. Discussion and Conclusion: To lower the NEMT service costs and bring benefit to patients with a broader spectrum of diseases, medical insurance could completely or partially cover NEMT services, and companies could initiate rideshare services. Shanghai is an attractive place for patients, with the highest level of healthcare resources. Transportation combining high-speed trains and NEMT vehicles ensures patients who live further away can access health care in Shanghai.