WHEREAS patients in rural and remote communities require medical attention in larger centers within the Province; AND WHEREAS a current lack exists for accessible transportation to return patients to their home communities after treatment: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM urge the provincial Health Minister to provide residents requiring medical care within the province with appropriate means to return to their homes in rural and remote communities.
Ministry of Health Transportation for patients who require medical care en route in British Columbia is provided by BC Ambulance Service BCAS. For non-emergency transport to access health care services in another community, and return home again, individuals are responsible for arranging and paying for travel. The Ministry recognizes travel costs associated with accessing health services can be a hardship for patients, particularly those from rural and remote areas. Accordingly, the Ministry funds three programs to help alleviate some of the transportation costs for eligible BC residents who must travel within the province for non-emergency medical specialist services not available in their own community, namely: 1 Health Connections; 2 the British Columbia Family Residence Program; and, 3 the Travel Assistance Program. Four of the six health authorities Northern, Interior, Vancouver Coastal and Vancouver Island participate in the Health Connections Program to assist patients with transportation options to access health services and to return home again. The BC Family Residence Program provides accommodation subsidies for families with a child, aged 18 years and under, who requires medical care at BC Childrens Hospital or Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children. The Travel Assistance Program is a corporate partnership coordinated between the Ministry and private transportation carriers, who agree to waive or discount their regular fees for eligible individuals covered by the Medical Services Plan when they must travel to access non-emergency health care services. In some instances, patients can also procure funding from charities andor other third-party sources: - Hope Air is a national charity that provides air transportation for patients of all ages who cannot afford to fly to receive the medical care they require; - Federal programs e.g., Veteran Affairs Canada, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada may cover some travel fees for their clients; - Some private plans may assist with the costs of patient transportation e.g., ICBC, WorkSafeBC and private insurers, such as Pacific Blue Cross; The Ministry of Technology, Innovation and maintains a courtesy listing of hotels in BC that provide discounted accommodation rates for individuals and families who must stay away from home overnight to obtain medical care; and, As per the Canada Revenue Agency, travel expenses for medical treatment may be claimed if the patient has travelled more than 40 km from home and specified conditions are met on their income tax return.