Transportation

When the need for this travel is not related to the care being provided to the patient by the hospital, it is considered to be “non-urgent” transportation:

• If a patient has an appointment that does not correspond to their hospital care i.e. eye doctor, dentist, etc.
• For patients requiring stretcher or wheelchair transport that the family cannot accommodate.
• For discharge to a private home, long-term care, or retirement home.
• For patients with extended benefits, the transfer cost may be covered by their insurance company.

The hospital will pay for transportation (private patient transfer) when an appointment is related to ongoing inpatient medical care (i.e. a specialist consultation at another hospital). If the patient is stable and not confined to bed, family or a substitute decision-maker are encouraged to drive the patient.

An ambulance is used for emergency, life-threatening, and urgent situations or when paramedic care is medically necessary as determined by the hospital. Patients with a valid Ontario Health Insurance Provider (OHIP) Card must pay $45 for land ambulance or $240 for air ambulance.