Veyo Creates Specialized Fleet For Patients Who Are COVID-19 Positive
Use of new, sterilized fleet will reduce stress on ambulance providers throughout Connecticut; specially outfitted vehicles will be driven by trained drivers
WINDSOR, Conn., Aug. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Today, Veyo, the Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) broker for the state of Connecticut Medicaid program, working in close collaboration with the state Department of Social Services (DSS), announced the launch of a new, specialized vehicle fleet to transport individuals who are COVID-19 positive, symptomatic, or persons under investigation, to their required medical appointments. The trained drivers will follow strict protocols developed by Veyo leadership and informed by medical guidelines and recommendations provided by the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and direct input from Veyo's medical consultant.
"All of our employees at Veyo want to do their part to reduce the spread of COVID-19. As the pandemic progressed, we saw a need to reduce the strain on first responders by providing safe transportation for confirmed and symptomatic patients," said Veyo president Josh Komenda. "When we started developing a specialized fleet to address this problem, the health and safety of our drivers and our members was our top priority, which is why we've implemented strict requirements for our drivers and their vehicles. Among other requirements meant to reduce risk, drivers must be in good overall health to participate in the program. In addition to these personal requirements, there are several safety protocols we've implemented, including the use of personal protective equipment for both drivers and passengers and disinfecting vehicles after every trip."
Drivers will undergo additional training, including basic sanitation dos and don'ts, how to properly wear and discard personal protective equipment (PPE), how to self-monitor for potential symptoms of COVID-19, and what to do should a member appear to be in medical distress. Vehicles will also be specially outfitted with physical barriers like plexiglass or plastic partitions to limit driver/member contact and to ensure the vehicle can be properly cleaned and disinfected after each trip. Additionally, drivers will follow an updated member pick-up and drop-off process designed to reduce contact with members. Trips will be offered during business hours and the fleet will focus on members over the age of 16 who are ambulatory and able to enter and exit a vehicle without assistance.
"With the help of the Department of Social Services, along with the guidance of our medical consultants and the CDC and WHO, we have developed robust procedures for drivers and members to follow," said Komenda. "The fact that we were able to develop this program and get it off the ground in the middle of a public health crisis is a testament to our strong working relationship with our partners at DSS."
The specialized fleet is launching in Connecticut after proving successful in the Arizona market and will run for the foreseeable future.
About Veyo
Veyo, headquartered in San Diego, CA, is a full-service transportation brokerage designed specifically for healthcare. Veyo has reinvented the patient transportation model by integrating consumer technology with rideshare fleets to decrease costs and increase efficiency. Veyo is delivering dramatically higher levels of reliability, quality, and transparency to customers, partners, and members. Operating in six states with over 28 million completed trips and a 97.1% on-time rate, we're changing NEMT – one trip at a time. For more information about Veyo, please visit http://www.veyo.com.
SOURCE Global Strategy Group
Share this article