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by Larry Arnold
A new transportation service for Hess Memorial Hospital patients and their families, when other means of transportation are not available to them, was announced recently by the hospital’s Social Services Department.
A new vehicle was purchased from funds provided by a Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) grant, written by the hospital’s grant writer, Martha Airth-Kindree. The grant was in the amount of $111,445 and was received in September of 2007. Plans are for the bus to be used just in Juneau County, with limited exceptions, for people who are on medical assistance and for those who are able to pay for the service.
The program will be supervised by Mile Bluff’s Social Services Department. Jan Ray, director of the department, commented: “I feel that the services we will be able to perform with this new vehicle will be of great value to this segment of the population of Juneau County.”
The original vehicle purchased by the grant was a Chevrolet mini-van. It proved to be unsuitable to transport bariatric patients in wheelchairs, and was traded in for a 2008 Ford mini-bus configured to accommodate wheelchairs.
The Terrace Heights bus driver, Cliff Barr, has been named to serve as the Mile Bluff Medical Center Transportation Coordinator. His duties will include overseeing the transportation activities for Terrace Heights, Great Lakes CBRF (assisted living facility), Fair View and Crest View nursing homes, as well as Hess Memorial Hospital patients. Detailed policies have been formulated for the Transportation Coordinator, as well as for whomever drives the bus. The policies include strict guidelines for record keeping, as well as safety checks. The driver must have a current DOT license to operate the bus, hold a current CPR and first-aid certification, and be trained in the care of passengers who might suffer a seizure.
The policy requires that the bus be inspected and the inspection documented at least every seven days, to ensure: 1. proper functioning of the vehicle systems, including headlights, emergency flasher lights, turn signals, tail lights, brake lights, clearance lights, internal lights, windshield wipers, brakes, front suspension and steering, shock absorbers, heater and defroster systems, air conditioning system, wheelchair locking systems, doors, lifts and ramps, moveable windows and passenger and driver restraint systems 2. that all brakes, front suspension and steering mechanisms and shock absorbers are functioning correctly 3. that all tires are properly inflated and that all tires possess a minimum of 1/8 inch of tread at the point of greatest wear 4. that windshields and mirrors are free from cracks and breaks
Mile Bluff is pleased to bring this additional service to the community. Photo Caption: Transportation Coordinator, Cliff Barr, is pictured with Mile Bluff’s new medical bus. Back to News & Events |
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Mile Bluff Medical Center/ 1050 Division St./ Mauston, WI 53948 / 608 847 6161 Mile Bluff Medical Center, 1050 Division Street, Mauston, WI 53948 608 847 6161 or Toll free in WI at 800 252 4377 © 2008 Mile Bluff Medical Center |
