8801 Fast Park Dr Suite 
Scheduling transportation at the right time helps prevent missed appointments, long waits, and last-minute problems. Use this guide to plan non-emergency medical transportation in Raleigh, Durham, and nearby communities.
Most routine rides should be scheduled 24 to 48 hours in advance. Complex trips may require more notice. Dialysis patients should request a recurring schedule. Hospital discharges and same-day needs require direct coordination with the transportation provider.
> Important: NEMT is for planned medical travel. Call 911 for a medical emergency.
Standard Booking Rule: Schedule 24 to 48 Hours Ahead
Book routine medical transportation at least one to two days before the appointment.
This timing applies to many common trips, including:
- Doctor appointments
- Physical therapy
- Rehabilitation visits
- Routine testing
- Specialist appointments
- Medical treatment visits
- Follow-up care
- Outpatient procedures
Use the Ivel 7 Medical Transport services page to review available transportation options.
Booking early gives the provider time to:
- Confirm the pickup and drop-off addresses.
- Review the passenger’s mobility needs.
- Assign the correct vehicle.
- Allow time for wheelchair or other equipment needs.
- Build a practical pickup window.
- Coordinate a return trip when needed.
Book earlier if the appointment is during a busy time. Mornings, Mondays, Fridays, holidays, and bad-weather days may have limited availability.
Schedule Earlier for Complex Transportation Needs
Some rides require additional planning. Request transportation 48 hours or more in advance when the passenger needs extra assistance or specialized equipment.
Plan ahead for:
- Wheelchair transportation
- Stretcher transportation
- Oxygen-related needs
- Multiple stops
- Long-distance trips
- Trips involving stairs or difficult access
- Hospital admissions
- Hospital discharges
- Transfers between medical facilities
- Early-morning appointments
- Large mobility devices
Tell the provider about these needs during the first booking call. Do not wait until pickup day to report them.
A vehicle must match the passenger’s needs. The provider may need to confirm wheelchair dimensions, stretcher availability, lift access, assistance requirements, or the number of people traveling.
Stretcher Transportation Requires Additional Lead Time
Stretcher transportation needs more coordination than a standard ambulatory ride or wheelchair trip.
Request stretcher transportation as soon as the appointment or transfer is known. A 48-hour minimum is a useful planning target. More notice may be necessary when the trip includes:
- A hospital or facility transfer
- Stairs
- Narrow hallways
- Oxygen equipment
- Multiple caregivers
- A long-distance destination
- A specific arrival time
- An evening, weekend, or holiday pickup
Provide complete information when booking. Include the patient’s current mobility status, the pickup location, the destination, the required arrival time, and any access concerns.
If a patient’s condition changes and stretcher transportation becomes necessary, call the provider immediately. Do not assume that a previously booked wheelchair or ambulatory ride can be changed at pickup.
Arrange Hospital Discharge Transportation Early
Hospital discharges are often confirmed on the same day. This does not mean transportation should wait until the patient is ready to leave.
Ask the hospital case manager, discharge planner, nurse, or social worker to begin transportation coordination as soon as discharge planning starts.
Provide:
- The patient’s name and phone number
- The hospital entrance or discharge location
- The expected discharge date
- The estimated discharge time
- The destination address
- The required level of assistance
- Any wheelchair, stretcher, or equipment needs
- The contact information for the receiving family member or caregiver
Discharge times can change. Ask the hospital to notify the transportation provider if the patient is delayed.
For a planned admission, schedule the ride as early as possible. Confirm the required arrival time with the hospital. A scheduled admission may require the passenger to arrive well before the appointment or check-in time.
Set Up Standing Reservations for Dialysis
Dialysis transportation should not be booked as a new one-time ride each week when treatment occurs on a regular schedule.
Request a standing reservation as soon as the dialysis center confirms the treatment schedule. Provide the full recurring schedule, including:
- Treatment days
- Treatment start times
- Expected treatment duration
- Pickup address
- Dialysis center address
- Return ride requirements
- Wheelchair or mobility needs
- Caregiver contact information
Dialysis transportation may occur several times each week. A recurring reservation helps reduce repeated calls and lowers the risk of missing a treatment ride.
Contact the provider promptly if the dialysis center changes the treatment time. Request schedule changes at least 24 to 48 hours ahead whenever possible.
If a treatment is added or moved on short notice, call directly. Same-day changes may depend on vehicle and driver availability.
Read more about dialysis appointment transportation from Ivel 7 Medical Transport.
How Early Should the Pickup Be?
Do not schedule pickup for the exact appointment time. The passenger needs time to travel, enter the facility, check in, and reach the correct department.
For many Raleigh and Durham appointments, request pickup 60 to 90 minutes before the appointment. The exact time depends on:
- Travel distance
- Traffic
- Appointment location
- Facility size
- Passenger mobility
- Required assistance
- Weather
- Parking and entrance procedures
- Whether the passenger needs to check in early
Ask the provider for a pickup window. Confirm whether the stated pickup time is the time the vehicle arrives or the time the passenger should be ready.
For dialysis, ask the dialysis center how early the patient should arrive. Then work backward to determine the pickup time.
For hospital discharges, the pickup time may depend on when the hospital completes paperwork and releases the patient. Keep the provider updated if the discharge time changes.
What to Do When You Need a Same-Day Ride
Same-day NEMT may be available, but it is not guaranteed.
Call the provider as soon as the need becomes known. Explain that the request is urgent but non-emergency. Provide all trip details during the first call.
Have the following information ready:
- Pickup address
- Destination address
- Appointment time
- Patient’s name and phone number
- Passenger mobility level
- Wheelchair or stretcher requirements
- Number of riders
- Return trip details
- Facility contact information
Be prepared to accept a wider pickup window. The preferred time may not be available.
If transportation cannot be confirmed, contact the medical office. Ask whether the appointment can be moved to a later time or another day. Do not send the patient to a curb without a confirmed ride.
For North Carolina Medicaid transportation, timing rules may differ by plan and transportation broker. Review the North Carolina Medicaid NEMT information and confirm the specific reservation requirements for the patient’s plan.
Handle Cancellations and Reschedules Immediately
Call the transportation provider as soon as an appointment is canceled or moved.
Do not assume that canceling with the doctor’s office also cancels transportation. The transportation provider needs a separate notice.
When calling, confirm:
- The original ride is canceled.
- The return ride is canceled.
- The cancellation is recorded.
- Any standing reservation remains active.
- A new ride is reserved for the replacement appointment.
- The new pickup time and confirmation number are correct.
For recurring dialysis or therapy rides, explain whether the change applies to one trip or the entire schedule.
Keep the new appointment information available. If the appointment is rescheduled, request transportation immediately. Waiting may result in the original transportation slot being assigned to another passenger.
Use the Ivel 7 booking page to request a ride or contact the company if you need help with a change.
NEMT Timing Cheat Sheet
Final Planning Checklist
Complete this checklist before the appointment:
- Confirm the appointment date and time.
- Confirm the pickup and destination addresses.
- Identify the correct transportation level.
- Report wheelchair, stretcher, oxygen, or assistance needs.
- Request transportation 24 to 48 hours ahead for routine trips.
- Set up standing reservations for dialysis.
- Request at least 48 hours for complex or stretcher trips.
- Schedule pickup 60 to 90 minutes before most appointments.
- Confirm the return ride.
- Save the provider’s contact information.
- Call immediately about cancellations or schedule changes.
Reliable timing supports reliable care. For medical transportation in Raleigh, Durham, and surrounding communities, contact Ivel 7 Medical Transport to discuss the ride requirements and scheduling options for your next appointment.