Whereas medical services in southern rural British Columbia have been regionalized, requiring travel times of 3 to 9 hours for patients seeking scheduled critical care or specialist attention or requiring transport home after being transported to the hospital by BC Ambulance; And whereas weather conditions, lack of air service and the cancellation or reduction of regular Greyhound Bus Service has made travel impossible for those residents without private transportation and support networks, causing a reduction to the economic and social development of rural areas in southern rural BC: Therefore be it resolved that the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure work with BC Transit, local hospital boards, citizen and local government transit committee and private business to find solutions for transportation of critically ill patients awaiting surgery.
Ministry of Health The Travel Assistance Program TAP, established in 1993, helps alleviate some of the transportation costs for eligible British Columbia residents who must travel within the province for non-emergency medical specialist services not available in their own community upon referral by a physician. The program is a corporate partnership between the Ministry of Health and private transportation carriers air, rail, and ferry service who agree to waive or discount their regular fees. In the 201718 fiscal year, TAP approved over 130,000 requests from BC residents for assistance with medical travel. In addition to TAP, other programs are available to assist residents with the cost of medical travel. Since 200405, health authorities have received 6 million annually to support Health Connections, a program which funds a variety of transportation options for patients who must travel from their home community to obtain necessary, non-emergency medical services. The BC Family Residence Program BCFRP, implemented in 2010, provides additional supports to BC families with the costs of medical travel. One component of the BCFRP is enhanced funding to Hope Air, a well-known national charity that arranges free flights for patients of all ages who cannot afford to fly to receive the medical care they require.