A new study shows that 23% of people miss medical appointments due to transportation

The Community Transport Network has published a regional assessment which shows that a large number of people are missing regular medical appointments due to lack of transport.

The assessment looked at 11 counties in northeast Indiana to better understand transportation needs outside of Allen County, where the Community Transportation Network (CTN) primarily operates.

The report found that 28% of respondents believed that transport services were not available, and 27% believed that they were available but timetables were inconvenient.

And 23% are likely to skip or miss medical appointments due to lack of transportation. Executive Director Justin Clupper called the statistic “unsettling.”

“It’s scary for people because if you don’t get regular check-ups, if you miss the early signs of health problems, you’re missing out on the opportunity to deal with those concerns quickly and possibly recover much faster,” Clupper said.

CTN commissioned RLS & Associates to conduct the assessment, which collected over 4,200 surveys and conducted 17 public meetings, 14 focus groups and 12 supplier interviews.

RLS & Associates made nine recommendations to improve transportation in the region, including adding public transit in rural Allen County, creating a fixed route in Warsaw and adding route planning technology for more providers.