Home Health Initiative to Minimize Transportation Barriers and Improve Show Rates to Primary Care Provider Follow-Up Appointments

BACKGROUND: Transportation barriers to medical appointments lead to poor health outcomes. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a transportation resource guide on access to transportation for postdischarge primary care follow-up appointments. METHODS: A quasi-experimental research design was employed. Patients in the 4 zip-code target area who screened positive for transportation barriers received the transportation resource guide, which offered patients meaningful information and options in planning transportation to medical appointments. RESULTS: Attendance at follow-up primary care appointments within 7 days of hospital discharge increased from 10.2% (n = 37) to 10.8% (n = 50), P = .856. CONCLUSIONS: While not statistically significant, the intervention was clinically impactful in influencing patients' ability to access transportation for follow-up appointments. Results support sustaining ongoing provision of this transportation resource with routine surveillance.