what if you don’t have someone to drive you home from a procedure?

[Anonymous]

My mom had a colonoscopy and I was deployed. I posted something on the neighborhood listserv and there was a college student in the neighborhood who was willing to give my mom a ride, wait for her and bring her home. I paid her $30/hour plus gas. I’ve tried care.com but sometimes you get last minute cancellations with care.com

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I was told I needed someone to take me home from an outpatient procedure too and I managed to arrange it but having done that, I absolutely could have walked the mile and a half home. I 100% could have been with it enough to take an Uber. Just tell them your ride is outside and go get in an Uber.

They don’t let you walk out.

A medical office that attempts to take me prisoner better have good lawyers.

They won't let you leave. It's because they are worried about your good lawyers that they won't let you leave. The odds of something happening are rare but when they occur the facility doesn't want to be liable. And I bet the courts would side with them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for all of the good ideas on here. I’m going to see if I can find an “escort” via care.com- that and the med transport are great ideas, and this also comes up every several years when I have a colonoscopy so will be great to have ideas of what to do.

I live in MoCo and this procedure is at Johns Hopkins - so as a poster supposed, it will require someone to stick with me for almost 6 hours between driving to/from, needing to be there 1.5 hrs before the procedure, the procedure itself and the time I need to wake up. There are just very few people I’d ask to do this for me.

I know for routine colonoscopies at a local endoscopy center, they are strict about my needing not just a ride home but also someone to come up and get me - I have to give the person’s name and number when I sign in, and they won’t release me from the post-procedure area until that person has arrived. I have to assume a hospital will have the same procedures and they told me so when I scheduled the procedure.

Thanks again, everyone.
- OP

Please update us especially if you find names of medical transport companies.

My colonoscopy, I was allowed to get there by myself. I just had to give them the name and phone number of the person picking me up. You could consider spending the night at a hotel near the hospital, walking over, and then having someone pick you up. That cuts the number of hours down. Check and see if this is allowed.

[Anonymous]

You risk cancellation or they will admit you- a cost insurance wont cover

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have to extend your circle of "people you are comfortable asking". This is why social people are more likely to have a better quality of life. What about a neighbor? Coworker?

I personally would never do this. If a neighbor had an emergency, I'd help, but if I neighbor I barely knew asked me to leave work from home to pick her up from a colonscopy, I'd be stressed out because I am over-extended, pulled in every direction cannot take off from work and would hate to say no. My husband is also barely hanging on by a thread after all we have been through and then we would just feel akward seeing the person we declined. There are nursing agencies with aides who can do this. I would hire someone with a medical background just in case. I did great after the colonscopy, but I know of several cases where the person was quite ill after and needed to be watched. One case the person had to go to the hospital.

[Anonymous]

Several years ago when I had a colonoscopy, the doctor's office provided me with a list of companies. I called one and IIRC it was about double what a taxi would have been. But then one of my sweet neighbors insisted on chaperoning me, so I can't report on how the service worked out.

[Anonymous]

Some insurances have transportation services

[Anonymous]

this is a real big problem in healthcare op they have medical transport companies but they are few and far in-between. I have no one.

[Anonymous]

All you need is a ride home. Uber/taxi or public transportation to the facility on your own. The facility will require you to have someone either drive you home or accompany you on public transportation. Considering it’s summertime, hire a driving teenager.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I was told I needed someone to take me home from an outpatient procedure too and I managed to arrange it but having done that, I absolutely could have walked the mile and a half home. I 100% could have been with it enough to take an Uber. Just tell them your ride is outside and go get in an Uber.

They don’t let you walk out.

A medical office that attempts to take me prisoner better have good lawyers.

They won't let you leave. It's because they are worried about your good lawyers that they won't let you leave. The odds of something happening are rare but when they occur the facility doesn't want to be liable. And I bet the courts would side with them.

What’re they gonna do, have somebody tackle me to the ground and choke me out? Taser me and hogtie me with oxygen tubing?

I don’t think medical care creates a custodial situation where adults lose their right to act as they choose on their own behalf. And I don’t think defying medical recommendations constitutes consent to assault, kidnapping and false imprisonment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have to extend your circle of "people you are comfortable asking". This is why social people are more likely to have a better quality of life. What about a neighbor? Coworker?

This was not helpful to say this to Op. Asking someone to sit and wait and drive you to a far hospital is highly personal. Waking up in an elusive state and not feeling yourself is compromising and this could be happening far from home. It’s not that easy of an ask even for ‘friends’ who work and have kids etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I was told I needed someone to take me home from an outpatient procedure too and I managed to arrange it but having done that, I absolutely could have walked the mile and a half home. I 100% could have been with it enough to take an Uber. Just tell them your ride is outside and go get in an Uber.

They don’t let you walk out.

A medical office that attempts to take me prisoner better have good lawyers.

They won't let you leave. It's because they are worried about your good lawyers that they won't let you leave. The odds of something happening are rare but when they occur the facility doesn't want to be liable. And I bet the courts would side with them.

What’re they gonna do, have somebody tackle me to the ground and choke me out? Taser me and hogtie me with oxygen tubing?

I don’t think medical care creates a custodial situation where adults lose their right to act as they choose on their own behalf. And I don’t think defying medical recommendations constitutes consent to assault, kidnapping and false imprisonment.

Assuming something that needs anesthesia , there would probably be follow up care. They can just choose not to treat you any further. Good luck getting the results of your colonoscopy or anything else

[Anonymous]

As some knowledgeable PPs mentioned, Lyft, Uber or a cab are not options. My elderly aunt lives alone and has no children. She doesn’t have local friends as she moved here to be closer to my family in an emergency. Initially I picked up her from procedures because she had zero options. Over the years as her health declined, she required medical transport services and they were able to release her to that driver. So that is a really solid option.

[Anonymous]

I just had an outpatient procedure with anesthesia. I was with it enough to talk to the Dr but not well enough to drive. They specifically said no Ubers or cabs (not sure why or how they would know). So a medical transport is a good suggestion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lyft or Uber is fine. Even a cab.

I drove myself home once after a non-anesthesia procedure in office after resting in the waiting room until I felt I could drive. I pulled over and took a few breaks on the way but I was fine to drive.

I didn’t have medication in my system that compromised driving. If I had, I would have taken a Lyft.

This did not happen in the U.S., or if it did, it wasn’t within the past 25 years.