Analysis of transportation systems in rural areas

Rural residents of the U.S. experience, on average, worse health care outcomes than urban residents. A primary driver of these health disparities between rural and urban Americans is the significant barrier to efficient transportation. This project evaluates current transportation options available to rural Veterans of the Capitol Health Care Network (VISN 5) and elucidates the transportation barriers that impede rural Veteran access to care. The analysis identifies solutions to improve the transportation options available to rural Veterans seeking care. The project established a baseline assessment that reviewed unmet transportation needs by focus area, identified demographics and characteristics of likely ridership, and compiled research on all available public and private transit operators in VISN 5. The project discerned that the ability to provide Non-Emergency Medical Transport to rural Veterans already exists in some capacity throughout VISN 5. However, local transportation providers are often unaware of each other's existence. Therefore, a key finding from the project is that there is an underlying need to identify existing capacity and better coordinate local transportation providers. In addition, findings suggest that successful transportation solutions will necessarily be local and customized to meet the needs of small groups of rural Veterans. The project has proposed specific recommendations to improve transportation options including: assigning a rural transportation champion to better facilitate transportation within VISN 5; establishing novel payment mechanisms, feeder systems, and concerted transportation outreach programs with public providers; developing efforts aimed at expanding existing Veterans Service Organization transportation programs; and as appropriate, expanding VA-owned transportation capacity.