Written by Mo Farrell, LMSW, Manager, Center for Advancing Health Services, Policy & Economics Research
Non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) is a vital Medicaid benefit, as many Missouri residents rely on it to access the health care they need. This was the topic of Transforming Healthcare in Missouri, Part IX – presented by WashU’s Center for Advancing Health Services, Policy & Economics Research. The center has now released a white paper summarizing the event’s discussions and resulting recommendations.
The Transforming Healthcare in Missouri event was hosted in partnership with MTM Inc., the state’s NEMT broker, who engaged directly with key stakeholders from across the state to address pressing NEMT challenges. Participants worked together to identify barriers, consider policies, and propose actionable solutions aimed at enhancing NEMT services and supporting Medicaid beneficiaries. They agreed that addressing NEMT challenges will require robust policy interventions, sustained financial investment, and targeted funding to improve service quality and ensure long-term sustainability of programs. The white paper identifies specific changes that participants recommended to improve overall quality and contribute to the broader goal of improved health care access.
Read “Transforming Healthcare in Missouri: Transportation Benefits as a Driver of Health in Medicaid” or read the summary.
Claire Ami Pavlides, MPH candidate, co-authored the white paper with Abigail R. Barker, PhD, associate director for policy partnerships with the Center for Advancing Health Services, Policy & Economics Research. We asked Claire a few questions about her experience.
Q: What is your role with the Center for Advancing Health Services, Policy & Economics Research, and how did you contribute to the white paper?
A: As an MPH student at WashU’s Brown School, I serve as a research assistant, where I contributed to the development of the white paper. This white paper summarizes key findings, discussions, and proposed solutions presented at the event Transforming Healthcare in Missouri, Part IX: Transportation Benefits as a Driver of Health in Medicaid.
The process began with watching a recording of the event and transcribing the lecture. From there, I identified key messages and themes from both the keynote presentation and the panel discussion. I also benefited from the detailed notes taken by breakout room coordinators, which allowed me to synthesize and formally summarize each group’s discussion.
Previous white papers provided a useful framework, but I adapted the format to enhance readability—structuring the document around key questions rather than individual speakers to better capture the dialogue. For the executive summary, I incorporated relevant resources to provide additional context. Additionally, I worked on editing and refining charts to ensure they were relevant and aligned with the report’s key insights.
The process required multiple rounds of revision, and I’m especially grateful for the support of my colleagues, particularly Abigail Barker, who provided invaluable guidance throughout.
Q: Did you learn anything new by going through the process to write this white paper?
A: I learned how to effectively synthesize diverse perspectives into a cohesive, action-driven document that is accessible to a broad audience. Additionally, I gained insight into how different stakeholders, such as health providers and transportation managers, view the challenges and opportunities within the NEMT system.
Q: Why is the paper’s topic important to you?
A: The topic of non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) is important to me as an MPH student because it directly impacts health equity and outcomes. Healthcare services are only meaningful when they are accessible and utilized by the populations in need. Transportation serves as a crucial link in this process, and without reliable access to it, individuals – particularly in underserved rural areas – often miss appointments and struggle to adhere to treatment plans, negatively impacting their health. If these barriers remain unaddressed, they can lead to worse health outcomes, making the improvement of NEMT services essential to reducing health disparities.
Q: What do you hope readers will take away from the white paper? What actions do you hope will come from it?
A: I hope readers will gain a deeper understanding on the history and importance of improving non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) to advance health equity and outcomes, especially for underserved populations – an issue that often does not receive the attention it truly deserves. The paper presents actionable solutions, such as raising awareness of transportation services through targeted communication, optimizing scheduling to ensure timely service, and enhancing coordination between transportation providers and healthcare systems. Given the diverse range of attendees, including healthcare providers and leaders of Missouri health care organizations, I hope the paper will inspire collaborative efforts – much like the breakout room discussions – that directly address these challenges, ultimately fostering a more reliable, efficient, and equitable NEMT system.
Q: Has your work with our center helped you develop any particular skills and/or helped you advance toward any particular career goals?
A: My work with the center has significantly enhanced my writing and policy analysis skills, particularly in the process of crafting formal white papers. Through researching non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT), I developed a deeper understanding of its vital role in addressing health disparities. Engaging with a diverse range of stakeholders gave me valuable insights into the issue from multiple perspectives, broadening my understanding of its complexity. This experience has also fueled my interest in health policy, especially in how targeted policy interventions can improve systems like NEMT – knowledge I look forward to applying in my future career.