Complete Guide: Discharge Escort from Hangzhou Hospital to Home — How We Arranged Long-Distance Ambulance Transport from ICU to Jiangxi After Mother's Transfer

My brother works in Hangzhou, while I'm in Nanchang. In early September, our mother was admitted to a top-tier hospital in Hangzhou due to severe pneumonia. She spent a week in the ICU before being transferred to a general ward for another two weeks. When the discharge notice finally arrived, not a single one of us could smile—because the real challenge was just beginning:Mother was discharged with a feeding tube, too weak to sit up. How do we get her 600+ kilometers back to Jiangxi?

We've documented the pitfalls we encountered and the steps that worked, hoping to help other family members stuck on "the day of discharge."

Mistake 1: Assuming 120 can be delivered to your home.

Before discharge, I asked the nurses' station if 120 could take my mother back to Jiangxi. The nurse patiently explained: 120 provides pre-hospital emergency care. For patients like my mother, who are stable but require medical support during long-distance travel home, this falls under non-emergency medical transportation and must be arranged through a specialized transport service.

This is my first time truly distinguishing between "emergency care" and "patient transport." Many families, like ours, were at a loss on the day of discharge because they hadn't clarified this beforehand.

Mistake 2: Focusing only on the quote and ignoring vehicle specifications.

I searched online for "Hangzhou long-distance ambulance" and found a wide range of results. Some offered very low prices, but upon inquiry, I discovered they were just regular vans with a stretcher—no oxygen supply, no monitoring equipment, and no medical staff on board. My mother has a nasogastric tube; if she chokes or her blood oxygen drops during the journey, such vehicles cannot handle emergencies.

Later, I learned my lesson: I ask every company just three questions.

1. Is the vehicle...Intensive Care AmbulanceAre oxygen supply, ECG monitoring, and suction devices available?
2. Is it included with the vehicle?Licensed medical personnelCan you perform nasogastric tube care and emergency management?
3. Can you provide the discharge summary?Plan transfers in advance？

If you can't answer, exclude it directly.

We do things right: Start three days early.

Three days before my mother's discharge date was confirmed, I submitted her discharge summary and the attending physician's transfer recommendation via the WeChat official account "Kangshun Ambulance Transfer Consultation." The staff called back the same day with detailed questions: what type of feeding tube she had, whether she could tolerate a semi-recumbent position during transit, how often she would need to be fed along the way, and which hospital in our hometown would receive her.

The next day, the other party provided a complete plan: an ambulance equipped for patient monitoring, with a doctor and nurse on board. Departure time and en-route stops were scheduled. They also reminded us to prepare copies of our mother's medical records, current medications, and contact information for the receiving hospital back home.

The night before departure, the nurse called to teach me how to monitor my mother's breathing and complexion during the trip. "If you notice anything unusual, just tap us on the shoulder—no need to feel embarrassed."

Departure Day: A Move with Medical Support

7:30 a.m., the ambulance arrived at the inpatient department entrance. Nursing staff and ward nurses completed handover, verifying lines, medications, and care instructions before safely transferring my mother onto the stretcher. The bed was adjusted to a semi-Fowler's position; the nasogastric tube was secured, the monitor connected, and the oxygen tank in place.

Over 600 kilometers, with two stops: one to administer nasogastric feeding for my mother, and another to check the tubing and assess skin pressure. Sitting beside me as the nurse recorded time and data line by line, I suddenly felt this journey was less like a hospital transfer and more like a move with medical support.

At 4:00 PM, the vehicle arrived at the entrance of the hometown hospital in Nanchang. The receiving doctor reviewed the handover records and said, "Care during transit was handled very professionally."

For families worried about "discharging home"

1. Discharge is not the end.For patients with tubes, bedridden, or frail patients, arrange medical transport for discharge—do not use standard vehicles.
2. Start at least two to three days in advance.Allow time for assessment, vehicle assignment, and coordination with the receiving hospital. Don't wait until discharge day to book a ride.
3. Filtering considers only hard criteria:Guarded vehicle, certified medical staff on board, care plans based on patient records.
4. Please prepare the discharge summary and doctor's recommendations.This is the core basis for the forwarder's assessment.

For discharge escort, inter-provincial transfers, or long-distance ambulance services, please consult through these two official channels:

• WeChat Mini ProgramSearch "Kangshun Transfer | Discharge | Inter-hospital Transfer | Ambulance" and submit your request online.
• WeChat Official AccountFollow "Kangshun Ambulance Transfer Consultation" and send your discharge summary to receive a transfer plan assessment.

Life at the bedside is hard enough. For this final journey home, may every family member be safely and securely escorted to their destination.