Eastern Royal Medical Transport

One of the biggest obstacles to having far-away seniors near family is simply the distance involved. Transporting a relative several hundred miles by car can be uncomfortable and slow, and air travel can be prohibitively expensive. Add in a medical condition or disability that requires special care in transit and the cost can rise rapidly. Air and ground ambulance services can handle these transports because they’re set up to provide emergency care, but they are costly precisely because they’re outfitted and staffed for emergencies.

For seniors who are in stable, if not great, health, non-emergency ground transportation is an option worth exploring for trips from one home or facility to another. These services typically cost much less than long-distance ambulance rides or flights and they offer more comfort and safety features than a regular passenger vehicle. Often, a family member can ride along, free to be a companion rather than a driver or caregiver during the trip.

Atlanta-based Eastern Royal Medical Transport (ERMT) has been serving senior and disabled passengers and their families since 2008. The company has been Better Business Bureau accredited since 2013.

Here’s our review of Eastern Royal Medical Transport. We’d love to hear from you! Share your opinion by writing a review.

Service Description:

Eastern Royal Medical Transport focuses exclusively on long-distance ground transportation of seniors, people with disabilities, and other medically stable passengers, such as patients recovering from accidents or illnesses. ERMT makes trips across the continental US. Each transit vehicle has two staffers on board to handle driving, passenger care, meals, rest stops, and other needs that may arise. The company prides itself on “bed to bed” service for patients who are bedfast, meaning that families and facility personnel can leave stretcher transfers to ERMT’s staff.

Pros:

During transportation, we utilize two attendants, certified in Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR that also serve as the drivers, rotating throughout the trip. At least one of the team members will have the background and/or training as an EMT on every trip. Our transport teams utilize empathetic bedside manners to ensure that your loved one is treated in the same manner that our team members would treat their own family members. Our teams can assist with feeding; re-positioning; changing diapers or maintaining a catheter (if applicable); continuing feeding tubes; assisting passengers with their prescribed medications. Oxygen is available on all vehicles, up to 5 liters per minute. We will continue the supply of oxygen, provided we are given the proper medical instructions to do so. Our attendants will contact the primary contact one hour before departure to provide your family with contact information. Please feel free to contact the crew anytime during transport to check in on the passenger

Eastern Royal utilizes transport vans consisting of Nissan NV 3500s that are custom designed for long-distance transportation. Our fleet is expertly maintained at regular interval schedules. We purposefully build these vehicles to maximize the safety and comfort of our passengers. At the departure location, we transfer the passenger onto a top-of-the-line stretcher bed, which is fitted with an overlaying adjustable waffle mattress specially designed to prevent pressure sores or circulation issues. This stretcher bed is fully adjustable allowing the passenger the option to lie down, sit up, or bend knees at any point during the transport.

Cons:

Service is only available to passengers who are medically stable.

Fine print:

Service is available for trips of 200 miles or more, anywhere in the lower 48 states. Service is not available in Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico.

Cost:

Eastern Royal Medical Transport doesn’t list fares on its website; quotes can be requested on the site or by phone. User reviews on other sites mention the company’s low rates compared to air transport and ambulance service.

Best for…

Seniors who need non-emergency medical or nursing care during trips of 200 miles or more. Families who need to move seniors but don’t have a vehicle that can accommodate a wheelchair or stretcher may also benefit from this service. Some family members who have reviewed ERMT say they have used the service to bring far-off family members home for visits as well. Contact Eastern Royal Medical Transport today to schedule your next trip!