What is hospice?
Hospice is care for people with a terminal diagnosis who have chosen comfort over curative treatment, delivered at home, in a hospice facility or in a nursing home. Hospice agencies coordinate the patient's care and, when a transfer is needed (home to inpatient hospice, hospital to home, or to a family member's house), they arrange transportation, usually at stretcher or wheelchair level and usually paid by the hospice or the family.
Why hospice matters for NEMT
Hospice transfers are among the most demanding trips a provider performs: fragile riders, distressed families, a two-person crew and no tolerance for delay. They are also well paid, direct-contracted and referral-driven. Hospice agencies want a provider who answers the phone at 7 p.m., arrives with a clean vehicle and treats the patient with dignity. Deliver that and the agency will call every time.
Related terms
← Browse all NEMT glossary terms
Running an NEMT company? Find or claim your listing in the NEMT provider directory, or start with the guide to starting a medical transportation business.