Getting to Medical Appointments in South Florida: Non-Emergency Patient Transportation Options

Which airport connects to which hospital? South Florida medical corridors

Out-of-state patients landing at MIA, FLL, TPA, or JAX need a direct transfer to the hospital or a nearby hotel. Here are the corridors, drive times, and routing notes for each major facility.

Private car service vs. ambulette vs. rideshare vs. public transit for medical appointments

Four transportation options compared across the factors that matter most for medical patients: reliability, wait handling, wheelchair assistance, recurring accounts, and vehicle comfort.

Which vehicle should a medical patient book?

Vehicle selection for medical transport depends on the procedure, the patient's mobility, and whether a companion or caregiver is traveling. View the full fleet page for detailed specifications.

Who books medical transportation? Patients, coordinators, and practices

Get a medical transportation quote

Airport transfers, wait-and-return appointments, and recurring ride accounts. Tell us the facility, the schedule, and any mobility requirements.

Frequently asked questions about medical transportation in South Florida

How is medical transportation different from a regular car service booking?

Three operational differences. First, the chauffeur waits at the medical facility for the patient rather than departing and returning — appointments run late, and post-procedure patients cannot stand outside waiting for a car. The first 30 minutes of wait time beyond the scheduled pickup are included in every medical booking. Second, the vehicle is selected based on the patient's physical condition: an Executive SUV for post-surgical patients who cannot bend into a sedan, a Luxury Sedan with tinted windows for eye surgery patients sensitive to light. Third, recurring patients are assigned the same chauffeur each visit. A patient going to Sylvester Cancer Center every Tuesday sees the same driver, who knows the parking loop, the discharge timing, and the patient's assistance needs.

Can the chauffeur help with a wheelchair at Cleveland Clinic Weston?

Yes. The chauffeur meets the patient at the Cleveland Clinic Weston main entrance on Cleveland Clinic Boulevard, loads a folding personal wheelchair into the SUV cargo area, and assists the patient from the wheelchair into the rear seat. The chauffeur provides door-to-vehicle physical assistance — a steady arm, opening doors, managing the wheelchair between the entrance and the vehicle. The chauffeur is not a licensed medical aide and cannot perform medical lifts or stretcher transfers. For patients arriving at FLL and continuing to Cleveland Clinic Weston, the chauffeur collects the wheelchair at baggage claim and loads it into the vehicle before departing the airport.

What is wait-and-return service, and how does it work at Bascom Palmer?

Wait-and-return means the chauffeur drops the patient at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at 900 NW 17th Street, then waits at the facility while the appointment or procedure takes place. When the patient is ready — which may be 30 minutes or 3 hours later depending on the procedure — the chauffeur pulls to the patient exit on the ground floor and assists the patient into the vehicle. There is no rebooking, no calling a new car, and no standing on a sidewalk with dilated pupils waiting for a rideshare. The first 30 minutes beyond the estimated appointment end time are included. For longer waits, hourly charter billing applies to the time beyond the buffer.

How do recurring chemotherapy ride accounts work?

The patient, a family member, or the oncology practice contacts the account manager to set up a standing ride schedule. For example: every Tuesday at 8:15 AM from a Coral Gables residence to Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center on NW 14th Street, with a return ride at approximately 1:00 PM. The chauffeur assignment stays consistent. If the appointment time shifts, the patient or practice calls to adjust. Billing runs monthly to a single invoice — not per-ride at the point of service. The invoice can be sent to the patient, a family member, or the medical practice. Some patients submit monthly invoices to their insurance carrier for out-of-network transportation reimbursement.

Which vehicle should a post-surgical patient book for the ride home from the hospital?

The Executive SUV — Cadillac Escalade or Lincoln Navigator — is the standard recommendation for post-surgical discharge. The step-in height accommodates patients using a walker, crutches, or knee brace without requiring them to bend at the hip past 90 degrees (a restriction after hip replacement). The rear seats recline for patients who need a semi-reclined position after abdominal or spinal procedures. The suspension handles South Florida road surfaces better than a sedan. For patients leaving Cleveland Clinic Weston or Baptist Hospital Kendall after joint replacement, the SUV is pre-positioned at the patient discharge entrance 15 minutes before the estimated discharge time.

How do airport-to-hospital transfers work for out-of-state patients flying into MIA or FLL?

The chauffeur monitors the patient's flight in real time and adjusts the airport arrival accordingly. At MIA, the chauffeur meets at the baggage claim exit with a name board. If the patient has a wheelchair, the chauffeur loads it at baggage claim. MIA to Bascom Palmer is 10-15 minutes via NW 14th Street. MIA to Jackson Memorial is 15-20 minutes via NW 12th Avenue. MIA to Cleveland Clinic Weston is 25-35 minutes via I-75 and I-595. FLL to Cleveland Clinic Weston is 20 minutes via I-595 West. The chauffeur drives directly to the hospital or to the patient's hotel, depending on the appointment schedule. No stops at rental car counters, no navigating unfamiliar highways while preparing for a medical procedure.

Can a doctor's office or patient coordinator book rides for their patients?

Yes. Medical practices, patient coordinators, and concierge medicine offices book directly by calling +1-305-555-0100 or contacting the account manager by email. Cleveland Clinic Weston patient coordinators and Bascom Palmer surgical scheduling teams regularly book transport for out-of-state patients arriving at MIA or FLL. The coordinator provides the pickup location, time, destination, and a patient contact number. The patient receives a confirmation text with the chauffeur name and vehicle description. For practices with recurring transport needs, a dedicated account consolidates all patient rides into a single monthly invoice with ride-level detail.

Does insurance cover private medical transportation?

Florida Car Service is a private car service, not a Medicaid or insurance-billed medical transport provider. We do not bill insurance carriers directly. Some patients submit our monthly invoices to their health insurance for out-of-network non-emergency medical transportation reimbursement. The invoice includes date, pickup address, drop-off address, and total — the documentation format most insurance carriers require for reimbursement review. Patients should confirm coverage with their carrier before relying on reimbursement. Medicare Advantage and some supplemental plans cover non-emergency transport — the patient's plan documents specify eligibility.

What if my appointment at Jackson Memorial runs two hours late?

The chauffeur waits at Jackson Memorial for the patient. Medical appointment wait times at Jackson Memorial and the UHealth Tower are unpredictable — the emergency department and surgical schedules create cascading delays. The first 30 minutes beyond the estimated pickup time are included in every medical transport booking. For waits extending beyond 30 minutes, the patient texts the chauffeur with an updated estimate, and hourly charter billing applies to the time beyond the included buffer. The chauffeur does not leave the facility to take another ride. The vehicle remains staged at Jackson Memorial until the patient is ready.

Can I set up a recurring dialysis transport account in South Florida?

Yes. Dialysis patients typically need transport three times per week on a fixed schedule — for example, Monday-Wednesday-Friday at 6:30 AM from a Hollywood residence to a DaVita or Fresenius clinic in Pembroke Pines, with return transport at approximately 11:00 AM. The account manager enters standing rides. Same-chauffeur assignment is prioritized. Monthly billing consolidates all rides into a single invoice. For patients receiving dialysis at facilities near FLL — Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Davie — the routes are short (10-20 minutes) and avoid highway congestion during early-morning hours.

How do you handle transport for patients traveling to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa?

Patients flying into TPA for treatment at Moffitt Cancer Center book an airport-to-hospital transfer. TPA to Moffitt is 20 minutes via the Veterans Expressway to Bruce B. Downs Boulevard — a fast, limited-access route with no surface-street congestion. For multi-week treatment plans, the account manager sets up daily round-trips between the patient's Tampa-area hotel and Moffitt at scheduled appointment times. South Florida patients driving to Tampa for Moffitt appointments can also book a long-distance one-way transfer from Miami or Fort Lauderdale — approximately 4 hours via I-75 or the Florida Turnpike.

What about transport to Mayo Clinic Jacksonville for diagnostic workups?

Mayo Clinic Jacksonville at 4500 San Pablo Road sits 20 minutes from JAX airport via I-95 South. Diagnostic workup patients typically spend 3-5 days cycling through multiple departments. The account manager sets up daily round-trips between the patient's Jacksonville hotel and the Mayo campus. For patients flying in from South Florida, the transfer from JAX to Mayo Clinic is straightforward — I-95 to San Pablo Road exit, then a direct turn into the campus. Same-chauffeur assignment ensures the driver knows the patient's daily schedule and which Mayo entrance to stage at for each department.