A1250. Transportation

Item Rationale

Health-related Quality of Life

Access to transportation for ongoing health care and medication access needs is essential for effective care management.

Understanding resident transportation needs can help organizations assess barriers to care and facilitate connections with available community resources.

Planning for Care

Assessing for transportation barriers will facilitate better care coordination and discharge planning for follow-up care.

Steps for Assessment: Interview Instructions

Ask the resident:

“In the past six months to a year, has lack of transportation kept you from medical appointments or from getting your medications?”

“In the past six months to a year, has lack of transportation kept you from non-medical meetings, appointments, work, or from getting things that you need?”

Respondents should be offered the option of selecting more than one “yes” designation, if applicable.

If the resident is unable to respond, the assessor may ask a family member, significant other, and/or guardian/legally authorized representative.

Only if the resident is unable to respond and no family member, significant other, and/or guardian/legally authorized representative may provide a response for this item, use medical record documentation.

If the resident declines to respond, do not code based on other resources (family, significant other, or legally authorized representative or medical records).

Coding Instructions

Code A, Yes, it has kept me from medical appointments or from getting my medications: if the resident indicates that lack of transportation has kept the resident from medical appointments or from getting medications.

Code B, Yes, it has kept me from non-medical meetings, appointments, work, or from getting things that I need: if the resident indicates that lack of transportation has kept the resident from non-medical meetings, appointments, work, or from getting things that the resident needs.

Code C, No: if the resident indicates that a lack of transportation has not kept the resident from medical appointments, getting medications, non-medical meetings, appointments, work, or getting things that the resident needs.

Code X, Resident unable to respond: if the resident is unable to respond.

In the cases where the resident is unable to respond and the response is determined via family, significant other, or legally authorized representative input or medical records, check all boxes that apply, including X. Resident unable to respond.

If the resident is unable to respond and no other resources (family, significant other, or legally authorized representative or medical records) provided the necessary information, code A1250 as only X. Resident unable to respond.

Code Y, Resident declines to respond: if the resident declines to respond.

When the resident declines to respond, code only Y. Resident declines to respond.

When the resident declines to respond do not code based on other resources (family, significant other, or legally authorized representative or medical records).

Example

Resident E is admitted with Multiple Sclerosis. They are confused and unable to understand when asked if they have had a lack of transportation that has kept them from medical appointments, meetings, work, or from getting things needed for daily living. No family, significant other, or legally authorized representative with related information is available, but their medical record indicates that their spouse uses their car to transport Resident E wherever they need to go.

Coding: A1250 would be coded as C. No and X. Resident unable to respond.

Rationale: If neither Resident E nor their family, significant other, or legally authorized representative was able to provide a response but the medical record documentation can provide the necessary information, code both the information in the medical record and X. Resident unable to respond.