Home Health Initiative to Minimize Transportation Barriers and Improve Show Rates to Primary Care Provider Follow-Up Appointments
Tanara Boursiquot, Linda Borenstein, Sara McHugh-Grant, Hilary BarnesBackground:
Transportation barriers to medical appointments lead to poor health outcomes.
Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a transportation resource guide on access to transportation for postdischarge primary care follow-up appointments.
Methods:
A quasi-experimental research design was employed. Patients in the 4 zip-code target area who screened positive for transportation barriers received the transportation resource guide, which offered patients meaningful information and options in planning transportation to medical appointments.
Results:
Attendance at follow-up primary care appointments within 7 days of hospital discharge increased from 10.2% (n = 37) to 10.8% (n = 50),
Conclusions:
While not statistically significant, the intervention was clinically impactful in influencing patients’ ability to access transportation for follow-up appointments. Results support sustaining ongoing provision of this transportation resource with routine surveillance.