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Rural Maryland Council and Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland to host roundtable discussions to improve non-emergency health transportation services

     

 

Non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) remains one of the largest obstacles patients face in accessing health care service. According to the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, annual studies show that transportation disadvantaged populations suffer a higher prevalence of single or multiple health conditions when compared to the general population and higher and costly hospital re-admission rates. Meanwhile funding from the State of Maryland for transit services has been flat, demand for services has increased and there is little program coordination outside of a county or region.  To address this issue, the Rural Maryland Council and the Tri-County Council of Southern Maryland will host three roundtable discussions to collect information on existing programs, identify gaps in services and make recommendations on policy changes.  At the end of the roundtables, a report will be compiled and delivered to Maryland State administration officials and Maryland General Assembly legislative leaders. As a part of this project, the organizations developed and released a survey. Residents are welcome to complete the survey at: https://uah.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_249zhcsAez3j8Gy?jfefe=new.

The roundtables will be held in-person and by Zoom teleconference. Since each meeting builds on information previously received, it is recommended to attend all three meetings.  The first meeting, held in Cambridge, inventories NEMT current programs and seeks common definitions.  The second meeting analyzes these perceptions and synthesizes them into possible concepts.  The third meeting will translate the preferred ideas into concepts.  Attendees will guide conclusions by providing interactive feedback during the meetings.

Meeting locations and dates are scheduled:

  • September 29, 2022: Delmarva Community Services, Cambridge, MD from 9:30 am – 2:30 pm
  • October 25, 2022: Rocky Gap Casino Resort, Flintstone, MD from 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm
  • November 17, 2022: Maryland Department of Agriculture, Annapolis, MD from 9:30 am – 2:30 pm

To register to attend, visit link:  https://rural.maryland.gov/events/medical-healthcare-transportation-roundtables/. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the roundtables, contact TCCSMD Regional Transit Coordinator Yolanda Hipski at yhipski@tccsmd.org.

 

 

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