In the past years, since COVID-19 was released upon the world, it became very clear that Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) provides an essential service to all communities in crisis. We had to push on because we always have wanted our community to be healthy and save – without the tireless work of True to care staff our community’s most vulnerable populations would have been unable to get to their medical appointments. That includes seniors, individuals with disabilities or being to sick to move on their own, and other Medicaid and Medicare members in need.

Arizona experienced widespread transmission of COVID-19, with all healthcare workers being susceptible to exposure events due to the nature of our work. Each of True to care employee had been evaluated at the beginning of each shift for fever, cough, or shortness of breath. Proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and vehicle decontamination of all our vehicles and equipment was always used for reducing the likelihood of COVID-19 infection.

• Our staff had worn a facemask for the duration of each ride, also every passenger put a facemask before entering vehicle and have kept it over the nose and mouth for the duration of the ride.
• True to Care employees put their gloves on before assisting the patient into the vehicle and securing the individual and equipment, and kept them on as much as possible (gloves should be changed if they become torn or heavily contaminated). Nevertheless, before re-entering the driver’s compartment the drivers usually removed the gloves and used hand sanitizer. They have worn the gloves again through each load / unload of a customer.
• Our staff have worn disposable face shield that fully covers the front and sides of the face each time that was possible.

After transporting a passenger the doors of the vehicles were kept wide open to allow for sufficient air changes to remove potentially infectious particles. When cleaning the vehicle our staff have worn a disposable gown and gloves. All reusable patient-care equipment have been cleaned and disinfected between rides, each time.