Livery & ambulatory
Which entrance? Planning transportation on a large medical campus
A building name is not always enough. Confirm the correct entrance, curb, department, contact, and return pickup point before the ride.
Hospitals and medical campuses often have several buildings, garages, drop-off loops, and entrances with similar names. A reservation that lists only the main address can leave the passenger and driver looking for one another. Treat the pickup and drop-off location as a set of precise instructions, not just a pin on a map.
Start with the appointment location
Use the appointment confirmation to identify the facility, building, floor, department, and required check-in time. Call the office if the paperwork lists a campus address but does not explain which entrance patients should use.
Ask whether the entrance changes by time of day. An outpatient doorway may close in the evening, while an early appointment may use a main lobby or security entrance. Transportation staff should receive the entrance that the facility confirms, not a guess based on the closest street.
Describe the curb in plain language
Share the entrance name, street, cross street, driveway or loop, and a visible landmark when available. If the campus assigns door numbers or pickup zones, include them. A building’s mailing address may point to a different side from its passenger loading area.
Keep the instructions short enough to read back. For example: building name, east entrance, patient drop-off loop, door number, and department. Avoid relying only on a screenshot or map pin that may move when opened on another phone.
Check how the passenger will reach the department
Confirm whether a wheelchair, escort, volunteer, or facility staff member must meet the passenger in the lobby. Transportation to the curb does not automatically arrange assistance through the building. Discuss the passenger’s transportation assistance needs when booking, then coordinate inside-the-facility help separately.
Medication, fasting, discharge, and clinical preparation instructions must come from the treating team. If the passenger’s condition becomes an emergency, call 911 rather than using scheduled non-emergency transportation.
Make the return location explicit
The passenger may leave through a different entrance after the visit. Ask the office where patients usually wait for transportation and whether the passenger must be accompanied or formally discharged before leaving.
Give the return driver the confirmed pickup point and a reachable contact. If staff redirect the passenger to another door, update dispatch through the provider’s process. Do not assume the vehicle can circulate indefinitely among several campus entrances.
Read back both ends of the trip
Before travel, confirm the home pickup point, campus entrance, appointment details, passenger contact, mobility needs, and return arrangement. Label estimated times as estimates and confirmed locations as confirmed.
A precise campus plan reduces avoidable searching while keeping facility and transportation responsibilities clear. Contact Cathay to discuss a livery or ambulatory trip to a multi-building medical campus.
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