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Project Research Project Sponsor
University of Maine Center on Aging Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems
Project Facilitation
United Way of Eastern Maine
Made possible by a grant from:
The Maine Health Access Foundation
Eastern Maine Transportation Collaborative
In 2003, United Way of Eastern Maine launched the Eastern Maine Transportation Collaborative (EMTC), a partnership of over 30 transportation, public, and non-profit organizations. The group's goal is to have the best possible community transportation system in Eastern Maine and to help all people access services and opportunities that fit their needs and lifestyles. The group's work includes collaboration, resource sharing, training, and working with the state to improve policies and systems.
Agencies represented in the Collaborative include Alpha One, BAT CC, Blue Hill Memorial Hospital, Bucksport Community Health Advisory Committee, Community Connections, Downeast Transportation, Eastern Agency on Aging, Eastern Maine Development Corporation, Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems, EMMC Family Practice Center, EMMC Dialysis Unit, Island Connections, Maine Department of Transportation, Maine Health Alliance, MDI Hospital, Millinocket Regional Hospital, Mount Desert Island Hospital, My Friends Place, Penobscot Community Health Center, Penobscot Valley Hospital, Penquis CAP, St. Joseph Healthcare, University of Maine Center on Aging, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Senior Companion Program, United Way of Eastern Maine, and Washington Hancock Community Agency.
Project Overview
In October of 2004, the Eastern Maine Transportation Collaborative received a $35,969 award to study the transportation needs of chronically ill patients 65 years and older in Penobscot, Washington and Hancock counties. The award, in the form of a grant from the Maine Health Access Foundation (MeHAF), was made to Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems on behalf of the EMTC. The University of Maine Center on Aging, as a member of the EMTC, was contracted to conduct the needs assessment research with the help from EMTC and the United Way of Eastern Maine. The goal of this one year study was to learn about the transportation experiences, challenges, and needs of chronically ill patients 65 years and older in the 3-county region by tapping multiple sources of information.
Research Plan
Surveys were developed and placed within 34 chronic care sites by the center to capture input from older adult chronic care consumers and their escorts about the transportation needs and challenges older adults face in obtaining such services. Key questions included distance traveled to obtain service, ease of transportation planning, availability of transportation, attractive transportation characteristics, and types of transportation need. Escorts accompanying patients were targeted through a brief survey tool designed to collect information on escort demographics, frequency of transportation provided, distance traveled, and ease of providing transportation.
 
Community case studies were undertaken to learn about community-specific challenges and responses to transportation in 9 communities throughout the tri-county region:
Bangor, Bar Harbor, Bucksport, Calais, Eastport, Ellsworth, Lincoln, Machias and Millinocket. Community members interviewed for these case studies included local government officials, older adults, service providers, local transportation agencies, clergy, nursing home administrators, pharmacists, and healthcare providers.
Phone surveys were also conducted with transportation providers throughout the tri-county region in addition to schedulers and social workers. Transportation providers were asked about the types of services provided, fees, and challenges to providing transportation to older adults. Schedulers and social workers in each chronic care site were surveyed about the amount of time and effort spent assisting patients with transportation and issues encountered when providing such a service.
In addition to surveys and interviews, the center also completed a best practice analysis of existing models of medical transportation for older adults. Such models were selected based on their recognition by national transportation authorities and organizations as "best practice" approaches to medical transportation for older adults. Models were evaluated against the 5A's of Senior Friendly Transportation developed by the Beverly Foundation.
Project Results
Based on project findings the EMTC released a set of recommendations for improving transportation for older adult chronic care patients. Patient cluster maps illustrating patient location in relationship with chronic care providers were also developed based on survey data gathered. Decision trees were created for healthcare schedulers and social workers to use in assisting patients with obtaining transportation. The project results are summarized in the center's final report which is currently in development. All project products are posted on our Reports and Publication Page.
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