Transportation

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FOR ELIGIBLE PATIENTS

We provide limited transportation services to eligible patients seeking clinic services for a better opportunity to access care.
 

Procedures

1.  Eligibility Criteria:

a. Must be a registered patient (Active User) of Lake County Tribal Health.

b. Patient must provide proof of Indian Eligibility. 

c. Patient must reside within Lake County Tribal Health’s Contract Health Service Delivery Area.

d. Patient must have a current referral from Lake County Tribal Health.

e. The Transportation Servies Program must be the last resort for the persons defined as eligible. All alternate resources must be used before transportation services can be utilized.

2. Limitation of Services

a. The Indian Health Services Program that funds this service has restrictions that LCTHC must abide by. Under the IHS Indian Health Manual, Chapter 16, Transportation Policy, we are prohibited from transporting to outside agencies other than an IHS Facility or IHS referral sites.

3. Priorities for Scheduling Transportation:

a. Tribal Elders

b. All patients suffering from chronic medical conditions

c. All services are provided on a first come first served basis in accordance with eligibility criteria and priorities listed.

4. Scheduling of Transports

a. The scheduling of transports shall be a shared responsibility between the CHS Referral Coordinator and Administrative Receptionist.

b. The transporters shall review the schedule and contact the patient to confirm arrangements for patient pick-up and drop-off. 

c. All transportation service requests must be received 24 hours in advance to be scheduled.

d. Transportation accommodations will be made for the patient and one caregiver only. 

e. Patients are responsible for providing notification of cancellations directly to the CHS Referrals Coordinator and/or the Administrative Receptionist. 

5. Transportation Services: 

a. Transportation services will be provided for individuals who have received prior approval.

b. The transporter will wait for five minutes at each scheduled stop. If patient does not show a “No-Show” will be recorded. 

c. Drivers will not be asked to pick up patients from various locations. All patients and their parent/care giver need to at one location for pick-up. 

d. At all times while in the transportation vehicles are seat belts to be worn by the driver and passengers. It is illegal under any circumstances to operate a vehicle without wearing seat belts. Proper vehicle restraints must be used to secure children according to their size and weight. Any passenger refusing to wear seat belts will not be transported. 

e. Transportation services are strictly for assisting patients with accessing Medical, Dental and Human Services appointments at Lake County Tribal Health Consortium and to their referring providers out of county. 

f. Children under the age of 15 must be accompanied by a legal parent or guardian. Transporters are not permitted to pick-up or drop-off children from school.

g. For the safety of patients, no smoking, eating or consumption of alcohol is permitted during transportation. For long distant trips (Out-of-County) and when medically necessary food/drink may be permitted. Any patient presenting for pick-up under the influence of drugs or alcohol will have to reschedule and a “No-Show” will be recorded. 

h. For the safety of patients no LCTHC vehicle may be used to transport clients with known contagious conditions. Examples include chicken pox, head lice, tuberculosis, etc.

i. Under no circumstance are patients or their care givers to be transported who are carrying firearms or any type of self-defense device.

j. Medication Pick-up/Drop-off: The transportation staff will assist with picking up and delivering medications for patients. Medication delivery requests are required to be made with at least 48 hours in advance. Patients are encouraged to use North Lake Medical Pharmacy (Bruno’s), who also provides delivery to the areas of Lakeport, Lucerne, Nice and Upper Lake.

k. The transporters are not authorized to make unscheduled stops at stores, etc.

l. Patients who leave the LCTHC premises after being seen for their appointment will forfeit their transportation service for the day. 

m. Patients found abusing transportation services can lose transportation privileges for a period of 3-12 months or may permanently lose services depending upon the severity of the situation.

6. Accommodations for Disabled Patients:

a. Accommodations will be made to the best of our ability to assist our disabled patients with accessing care.

b. If Lake County Tribal Health is not able to transport a patient with a disability, a reasonable effort must be made to assist with finding an alternative transportation service.

7. Escort Funding: 

a. Escort funds (Lodging, Mileage, and Per Diem Vouchers) are provided to patients who require special transportation arrangements due to medical conditions or disabilities. Requests for Escort Funds is processed through the Referrals Coordinator and requires at least two weeks advanced notification. 

8. Broken Transportation Appointments: 

a. Broken Transportation appointments are appointments that were canceled by patients without notification. These appointments are recorded as “No-Shows.”

b. Broken Transportation appointments will be taken into consideration before any further transports are approved.

c. If a passenger does not show up at the specified time and place or does not call and cancel the transport by 4:00 p.m. the day prior on two (2) separate occasions in a one (1) year period, the patient will be sent a letter of warning of the possibility of losing transportation service privileges.

d. If the behavior continues for a third time within a one (1) year period, the patient will be suspended from services for a period of three (3) months. If a patient becomes ineligible, they will be sent a letter of notification, and a long will be kept of all incidents.

9. Community Resources for Public Transportation:

a. When patients are not able to be provided with transportation services, alternative resources must be shared with the patient.  

b. Alternative Resources in Lake County Available:

Lake County Transit - www.laketransit.org 
(707) 263-3334 or (707) 994-3334

Tribal TANF (Available to TANF clients only.)
(707) 274.9445