To enhance efficiency and patient satisfaction, Yale New Haven Hospital has changed procedures for requesting patient transportation among hospital sites and from YNHH to other healthcare facilities and patients' homes.

In February, unit clerks at the Saint Raphael Campus began handling transportation requests for patients who need to travel by ambulance, wheelchair van or taxi to another care site or home. The change aligns unit clerks' job duties with those of their business associate counterparts at the York Street Campus, who have handled transportation requests for a number of years.

Before February, SRC Care Management staff oversaw transportation requests, but sometimes these requests occur after business hours. Unit clerks and business associates are available days and evenings to handle transportation requests for their unit's patients, and can easily obtain information about patients' medical conditions and needs.

The hospital has established a phone number for SRC unit clerks to request patient transportation; the number will be introduced at the YSC and Grimes Center in the coming months.

In addition, the hospital last spring contracted with American Medical Response and Metro Taxi to be the preferred providers for transportation from the Saint Raphael and York Street campuses, YNHH's Rehabilitation and Wellness Center at Milford Hospital, Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale New Haven, Yale New Haven Children's Hospital's New Haven and Bridgeport Hospital campuses and the Grimes Center. AMR will transport patients requiring non-emergency care or monitoring during transport; Metro Taxi will transport other patients, including those in wheelchairs who do not require care and monitoring. Patients may request a different company for transportation. The new procedures do not affect patients who use MyRide.

"The changes, which are being phased at  the SRC, are designed to streamline the transportation request process, ensure transportation quality and consistency and enhance patient satisfaction by shortening patients' waiting time for transportation," said Michael Holmes, senior vice president, Operations, and SRC chief integration officer.