Starting a non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) business is definitely a rewarding thing to do, but it’s also something that can be massively challenging. Your services really do matter, and you’ll be helping people who need reliable, safe transport to get to medical appointments, therapy sessions, and much more, and that’s why you’ve got to make sure you get things right. With that in mind, here are some things you need to know before starting an NEMT business; read on to find out more.
Understand Your Target Market
Before you can do anything else, you’ve got to be one hundred percent clear on who you’ll be serving with your business. Something to bear in mind is that NEMT businesses tend to cater to people who can’t get themselves to where they need to go due to their medical conditions, a disability, or perhaps their age, but of course, these are exactly the people who most need to get to medical appointments, therapy, and so on, so they’ll need help.
Understanding your audience means you can tailor your services to meet their needs, and it might be wise to narrow your ideas down, at least to begin with, as that’s going to make finding your target market much easier. So you might want to focus on having wheelchair-accessible vehicles, for example, or perhaps you want to handle long-distance trips – and there are plenty more options out there too. Once you know your niche, everything else will be easier to work out.
Get Your Paperwork In Order
Running an NEMT business involves more than just having a vehicle and a driver – you’ll need all the proper licenses and certifications, and that’s going to vary by state, so you might even need more than one set if you’re planning to cross state lines in your work. At the very least, you’ll probably need a commercial driver’s license and you’ll need to make sure you comply with local regulations.
Something else you’ll need that’s non-negotiable is non-emergency medical transportation insurance. NEMT insurance is a special type of coverage that’s specifically designed for businesses like yours, and it’ll give you (and the people you’re transporting, as well as your employees and even your vehicles) protection. You’ve got to have this if you want to operate legally and to ensure you’re covered just in case something unexpected happens, so you’ll need to budget for it.
Invest In The Right Vehicles
As well as paying for insurance, you’ll also need to invest in the right vehicles, otherwise your business isn’t going to be as reliable as you’d want, and people won’t want to use you if they’ve got a choice. And it’s not just reliability that counts – the vehicles also need to be safe and accessible, and depending on who you’re planning to transport, they might need to be fitted with wheelchair ramps or lifts, and there should be extra space for medical equipment too.
Once you’ve bought the vehicle that’s not the end of the story either; if you want things to keep running smoothly, you’ve got to get it serviced regularly, drive it carefully, and generally maintain it, otherwise you’re going to lose money and business.
