Patient Transportation

Started by MD200
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MD200

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I am a private practice doc in a metro area. One of our competitors recently implemented a shuttle service and offer pick up service for patients to and from treatment. They actually advertise throughout the area and has had an impact on our volume. I always thought providing transportation in this manner is illegal? Am I missing something?
 
I can't imagine this being illegal. Not in a metro area, but we offer shuttle service for those with transportation barriers and it is one of the best things a community center can offer in my opinion.
 
Agree with communitydoc that it's hard to see this being illegal if they have planned it properly. Gotta give props where it's due, even if that's your competitor - maybe gives your admin (who are probably worthless like everywhere) to start upping the ante to offer that sort of thing as well...
 
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No advertising. I can't speak to a metro area where competition stiffer but I would think word of mouth would still make it worthwhile without advertising. Patients taking public transportation while under treatment sucks.

In a rural or semi-rural area, lots of cancer patients have transportation issues (most have to drive pretty far) and the shuttle service pays for itself very easily. If Hospital provides, their name can be on the vehicle.
 
MD200 said:
I am a private practice doc in a metro area. One of our competitors recently implemented a shuttle service and offer pick up service for patients to and from treatment. They actually advertise throughout the area and has had an impact on our volume. I always thought providing transportation in this manner is illegal? Am I missing something?
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If they are advertising it sounds like a no no as far as CMS goes
 
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udrag14 said:
Agree with this. You can have a transport service but you are not allowed to advertise it.
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Like much of the self referral, inducement, etc. issues, the law is vague. I know big corporate entities that stopped offering transportation due to the uncertainties. To the current issue: what does it mean to "advertise"?
 
Reaganite said:
Like much of the self referral, inducement, etc. issues, the law is vague. I know big corporate entities that stopped offering transportation due to the uncertainties. To the current issue: what does it mean to "advertise"?
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Not a lawyer, but I believe the use of incentives to get patients is illegal.


  • the transportation is not publicly advertised or marketed, and persons involved in transportation are not paid on a per-beneficiary-transported basis;

Reference: Transportation, Co-Pays and Patient Inducements: New Anti-Kickback Safe Harbors and Civil Monetary Penalty Exceptions.
 
I've found no evidence of direct advertising for our patient shuttle service. However, I think the hospital has smartly worked with donors to get news stories out that let people know that we have such a service. "Such and such group donates patient transport shuttle to cancer center" The shuttle service is largely provided through philanthropy. It is not included in direct advertising but is listed under resources.
 
Not a lawyer, but what’s wrong (morally, not legally) with certain patient inducements? Of all the things that hospitals do to attract patients (solo rooms, fancy food, fancy buildings, advertising, etc) at least providing transportation is useful and on a large scale would improve outcomes through improving adherence, not to mention letting frail patients avoid the bus and subway.

It actually seems that it would be a way for the free market to actually work in medicine. Your running a tight ship and making profit on your Medicare patients? Provide them more services so more come to you.
 
Providing transportation to patients is a legal grey area. Most large practices or organizations play it safe and do not provide transport. I’ve only known of one that did, and his small pp was super shady.

If I were in your situation I would whistleblow on my competition and see where it went. Can’t hurt.
 
It’s fine. Just don’t advertise.

But, as my management company said “Do you know how hard it is to find a driver for that amount of money that doesn’t have a record?!”
 
OTN said:
Providing transportation to patients is a legal grey area. Most large practices or organizations play it safe and do not provide transport. I’ve only known of one that did, and his small pp was super shady.

If I were in your situation I would whistleblow on my competition and see where it went. Can’t hurt.
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I know of one PP group that does it and it seemed above-board in the way they described it.

Granted, one of the partners described it to me, so I doubt it would be packaged as anything other than "this is a tremendous benefit to our low-income rural patients".
 
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