Lowcountry residents express concerns with medical transportation provider

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - A non-emergency medical transportation company is getting pushback from several Lowcountry residents who are calling the service unreliable.

Goose Creek resident Robin Orvin says she uses Modivcare to get to and from doctors’ appointments, but recently has had to wait hours for a ride home.

On Monday, she says she spent hours waiting for a ride after an appointment at Roper St. Francis Primary Care.

“I waited nearly three and a half hours for them to pick me up. I had not eaten breakfast or lunch, and it was rather excruciating,” Orvin says.

During a similar experience last month, she says a nurse came outside to wait with her.

“Finally, someone came, and I was so relieved because I was so tired of sitting there and waiting, and humiliated and just so embarrassed,” Orvin says.

Goose Creek resident Anne Nicholson takes care of her 82-year-old mother and 69-year-old friend. She says they’ve both had similar experiences.

“Late, most definitely late, and sometimes they didn’t even show,” Nicholson says.

Her mother stopped using Modivcare after she wasn’t picked up from an appointment at Berkeley County Community Mental Health Center, she says.

Now that she’s taking care of her friend, she’s seeing the same issues resurface.

“For some, it can be scary, for others it can deter them from going to get their healthcare needs that they really need,” Nicholson says.

Summerville resident Kenia Mann utilizes Modivcare for her 8-year-old daughter who has a disability.

She says her daughter and accompanying nurse have also been left after the appointment or canceled on the day of.

“It makes you feel hopeless because you’re using a ride where they’re being paid, and then they don’t take us seriously,” Mann says.

Mann says she thinks the problem lies with the subcontractors Modivcare hires to provide rides.

She says by sharing her story, she hopes to get better service for herself and others.

A representative from Modivcare provided the following statement.

Modivcare’s overarching mission is to improve access to care for those in need and we understand that non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) is a vital service for safe, reliable transportation. All of our efforts are dedicated to providing the best transportation experience for the members of our health plan partners. We are reaching out to the members to better understand the situation and look forward to continually improving our service experience for our members.