Rural Medical Transportation Network

Southern Illinois University’s Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development was funded by Illinois Department of Transportation to establish pilot projects for Rural Medical Transportation in the southern 34 counties of Illinois. SIU’s Office of the President worked with the CRHSSD to formulate the IDOT project proposal. SIU’s School of Medicine and the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute are partners in developing and implementing this initiative.

The initial phase involves the formation of an advisory steering committee, to complete a “gaps analysis” and to gain a better understanding of the landscape of rural medical transportation. Following this a “policy analysis” will be undertaken to review federal, state, and local procedures, laws, and statutes that prevent and/or limit the coordination of services between and among providers.

Based upon this primary analysis two or three Rural Medical Transportation Networks will be formulated in targeted mini-regions to improve local coordination, expand and enhance transportation services, provide on-going input into needed policy and procedure changes to coordinate, improve and expand rural medical transportation systems.