Some patients cannot sit upright for a car ride at all, whether because of a medical condition, recovery from surgery, or general frailty, and need to travel lying down on a stretcher. Non-emergency stretcher transportation fills that need without requiring an ambulance, using specially equipped vans staffed to handle the transfer safely.
When stretcher transportation is the right choice
Stretcher transportation is typically used for patients being discharged from a hospital who are not yet able to sit up for an extended period, patients transferring between a hospital and a skilled nursing or rehabilitation facility, and patients attending appointments who must remain reclined due to their condition. It is a non-emergency service, meaning the patient is medically stable and does not require the emergency interventions an ambulance crew provides.
Facilities in Jacksonville, including hospitals, skilled nursing centers, and rehabilitation facilities, regularly coordinate these transfers directly with our dispatch team, often as part of a discharge or transfer plan built by a case manager or social worker.
How the vehicle and transfer work
Stretcher vans are equipped with a cot that locks securely into the vehicle floor, along with straps to keep the patient stable during the drive. Two staff members typically handle the transfer, moving the patient from a hospital bed onto the stretcher, into the van, and back onto a bed or into a room at the destination.
Staff are trained in safe lifting and transfer techniques to minimize discomfort and risk during each move. If a patient has an IV line, oxygen, or other equipment attached, this should be communicated in advance so the crew can plan the transfer around it appropriately.
Coordinating with hospitals and facilities
Because stretcher transfers are often part of a hospital discharge or a transfer between levels of care, coordination usually starts with the sending facility's case manager or nursing staff. They typically provide the pickup and destination details, along with any relevant medical information the transport crew needs, such as whether the patient needs to remain flat or can be at an incline.
Our dispatch team works with facilities across Jacksonville, Orange Park, St. Augustine, and Fernandina Beach to schedule these transfers, and can accommodate both planned discharges scheduled days in advance and same-day transfer requests when timing allows.
What families should know
Families are often anxious about a loved one being moved on a stretcher, especially after a hospital stay, but the process is designed to be gentle and unhurried. Family members can typically follow in their own vehicle or, in some cases, ride along if space allows, which is worth asking about when the transfer is arranged.
If you are the one coordinating a stretcher transfer for a parent or family member, having the discharge paperwork, medication list, and any special instructions ready for the crew helps the transfer go smoothly on both ends.
Pricing for stretcher transportation
Stretcher transportation involves more staff and specialized equipment than ambulatory or wheelchair transportation, so pricing reflects that with a base fare plus mileage that accounts for the two-person crew and the equipment involved. As with other trip types, a quote is provided up front based on the specifics of the transfer before it is booked.