Clinics, private hospitals, care homes and concierge desks book taxis for patients every day: someone going home after a procedure, a relative who cannot drive, a patient coming in from an airport for treatment. Done well, it is one less thing for the patient to worry about. Done badly, a patient who has just been discharged ends up waiting in reception for a car that has gone to the wrong entrance.
This guide covers how to book a car for someone else, how to pay for it centrally, and what the driver needs to know to look after the passenger properly.
Booking on a patient’s behalf
A private hire booking does not have to be made by the person travelling. A clinic or concierge can book the journey, add the patient’s name as the passenger, and pay for it on the clinic’s account. The driver then asks for that passenger by name on arrival.
The details that make the pickup work:
- the patient’s name and, if they are happy to share it, a mobile number the driver can call
- the exact pickup point: the building, the entrance and where the patient will be waiting
- the destination address, with any access instructions at the other end
- whether the patient needs help walking to the car, getting in, or with bags
- whether a relative or carer is travelling with them
- a contact at the clinic if the driver cannot find the patient
Keep medical details to what the driver actually needs. “Will need help getting into the car and has a walking frame” is useful. The reason for the appointment is not, and does not belong on a booking.
Pickup times when discharge times are uncertain
Discharges and procedures rarely run to time. There are two sensible ways to handle it:
- Book an estimated time and update it. Make the booking for the likely time, then call or update the booking as soon as the patient is nearly ready.
- Book “on call”. Agree the journey in advance, then call when the patient is ready and the car is dispatched from there.
In central London, allow time for the car to reach you once you call. For a patient who will be tired or uncomfortable, booking slightly early and letting the driver wait is usually kinder than making the patient wait for the car.
Paying centrally
Most clinics do not want patients or staff paying drivers directly. A business account solves this. Journeys booked on the account are charged to the clinic rather than the passenger, and invoiced together.
When setting up an account, think about:
- who in the clinic can make bookings
- whether journeys need a reference, such as a department, consultant or cost code, so they can be recharged
- how often you want invoices, and who receives them
- whether patients can ever book on the account themselves, or only staff
If the cost is being passed on to the patient or their insurer, a reference on each booking makes that much easier to match up later.
Choosing the right vehicle
For most patients a standard saloon is fine. An MPV or estate is better when the patient has a wheelchair or walking frame to fold into the boot, a lot of luggage, or a relative travelling with them. A higher seat, as in an MPV, can also be easier to get in and out of after some procedures.
If a patient needs to travel seated in their wheelchair, that needs a wheelchair-accessible vehicle with a ramp or lift. Check this specifically when booking rather than assuming the car will be suitable.
International patients and airport pickups
Patients coming to London for treatment often need collecting from Heathrow or another airport and taking straight to a clinic or hotel. Give the operator the flight number so the pickup can follow any delay, the patient’s name for a meet and greet sign, and the amount of luggage. If the patient does not speak much English, say so, and make sure the driver has the clinic’s contact number.
Setting up regular patient transport
If your clinic books cars regularly, a few minutes spent setting things up saves time on every booking:
- save your clinic’s pickup instructions once, so they do not have to be repeated
- agree a standard note for patients who need help
- keep the operator’s booking number at reception and on the discharge checklist
Patient and clinic transport with Abetta
Abetta provides non-urgent medical transfers across London with DBS-checked drivers who help passengers in and out of the car, and allows reasonable waiting time if an appointment runs over. Business accounts give clinics priority bookings, an account manager and weekly itemised invoices. See our medical transfers and business accounts, or call 020 8445 1111.
