TOMBALL, TX – Tomball Regional Health Foundation (TRHF) is proud to announce a collaboration with Northwest EMS to provide two new wheelchair accessible vans for medical transport in the Tomball area. TRHF will provide the funding of the first year’s operational costs as well as the capital expenditure for the two vans to be used in the new Mobility Project. Northwest EMS, the contracted emergency medical services provider for Harris County Emergency Services District 8, which includes the City of Tomball and portions of unincorporated Harris County, will operate the vans.
TRHF identified the fact that residents with mobility needs often do not have access to a vehicle or they need door-to-door assistance for routine travel. The new vehicles will be used for medical-related trips, such as to and from the doctor or home from the hospital. "Transportation for the uninsured and elderly has been one of the top priorities to the Tomball Regional Health Foundation Board," said Jack Smith, Chairman of the Board. "To be able to help patients get to their physician appointments and related healthcare visits means we are continuing to help our community and the individuals that live in it."
Northwest EMS and TRHF are thrilled to be able to provide this service for the elderly and people with disabilities, when simply getting around can be a challenge. Now, Tomball-area residents with mobility challenges have a new way to get where they need to go.
According to Chief Bayani, it is not uncommon for the ambulance to be called because someone ran out of medication and cannot get to the pharmacy or they have not been able to get to their doctor for preventative care. "Historically, the only ways to handle these calls were to either take the patient to the emergency room or let the patient refuse transport and remain at home," Bayani said. "Neither of these fixed the root cause of the problem." These calls tie up an ambulance and an ER bed, decreasing the emergency system's ability to handle more urgent calls. The new mobility services should decrease some of the burden on the system.
The vans will bring significant cost savings for the patients, as an ambulance trip and just a short stay in the emergency room can add up to thousands of dollars in medical bills. While there is still a fee for a van trip, it is significantly less than an ambulance ride, and financial assistance is available for those riders who can demonstrate financial hardship.
Tomball Regional Health Foundation (TRHF) is also known as Tomball Hospital Authority (THA). TRHF’s mission is to promote wellness and improve health status for all residents in our communities through programs that enhance access to health care, preventative care and health education.Please visit the new TRHF website at www.trhfoundation.org for more information regarding the Foundation.
Northwest EMS is a 201(c)(3) non-profit organization providing Emergency Medical Services within the City of Tomball and surrounding areas. Northwest EMS envisions communities where quality of life is enhanced by integrated systems of healthcare and emergency response. Our mission is to reduce the incidence and impact of injury, illness, and catastrophic events in our communities through superior coordinated clinical care, prevention programs, and education.
Media Contact:
Marilyn Kinyo, Tomball Regional Health Foundation
(832) 559-7148 or mkinyo@trhfoundation.org
