Discharge day is good news — but it can also be hectic. Nurses are finalizing paperwork, family members are coordinating schedules, and the patient just wants to get home. Arranging medical transport ahead of time turns the trip itself into the easiest part of the day. Here’s what Southwest Florida families should have ready.
Before discharge day
- Confirm the level of transport. Ask the case manager whether the patient needs a stretcher (BLS), paramedic-level care (ALS), or critical care transport. Our guide to BLS vs. ALS vs. CCT explains the difference.
- Schedule early. Call dispatch at (239) 228-7900 as soon as a discharge window is known — 24–48 hours ahead is ideal, though same-day requests are handled every day.
- Ask about insurance paperwork. For covered transports, the physician’s certification (PCS form) should be completed before the trip. See how ambulance billing works in Florida.
- Prepare the destination. Going home? Clear a path to the bedroom and confirm any equipment (hospital bed, oxygen) has been delivered. Going to a facility? Confirm the receiving facility knows the arrival window.
On discharge day
- Have the discharge summary and medication list ready to travel with the patient
- Send a small bag — glasses, hearing aids, phone, charger — with the patient, not in a separate car
- Tell the crew about stairs, narrow doorways, or gate codes at the destination
- Decide whether a family member will ride along (allowed on many BLS trips with prior approval)
What Medtrek handles for you
Our crews handle the rest: coordinating with the nursing station, moving the patient bedside-to-bedside on a powered stretcher, monitoring vitals en route, and giving the receiving caregiver — whether that’s a nurse or a daughter — a proper handoff. We run discharges every day from hospitals across Naples, Fort Myers, and the rest of Collier and Lee counties.