F E A T U R E
CTION OF E DECLINE EMT DEMAND IONS FOR CARE AND SYSTEMS
Kerico , a leading non-emergency medical transportation ( NEMT ) company , has issued a warning about the looming healthcare crisis as telemedicine usage rapidly declines and the demand for transportation to medical appointments surges . This alarming trend threatens to exacerbate the already staggering US $ 150 billion annual losses faced by the healthcare industry due to patient no-shows .
As patients increasingly return to in-person medical visits , the healthcare system is grappling with a new set of challenges . The once-popular telemedicine services , which provided a convenient alternative during the height of the pandemic , are now experiencing a sharp decline in usage . So much so , that Walmart and UnitedHealth Group ’ s Optum recently shuttered their telehealth services . Simultaneously , the demand for reliable transportation to medical appointments is skyrocketing , particularly among senior citizens who cite transportation issues as the primary reason for missing appointments 65 % of the time .
“ The confluence of declining telemedicine usage and increasing transportation needs is a recipe for a healthcare disaster ,” warned Chris Ochs , Chief Development Officer at Kerico . “ Without immediate action to
www . intelligenthealth . tech 33