How Can I Get From West Pittston to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Without Driving?
A practical guide to arranging ambulatory, wheelchair-accessible or non-emergency stretcher transportation to the correct Geisinger Wyoming Valley building and entrance.
Getting from West Pittston to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center can be difficult when you cannot drive, use a wheelchair or walker, need to travel by stretcher, or do not have a family member available for the trip. The challenge can become greater when an appointment starts early, treatment is recurring, or the passenger needs help from the entrance of a home to the correct hospital entrance.
Non-emergency medical transportation, commonly called NEMT, can provide a planned ride for a medically stable passenger who needs more support than a standard car, taxi or rideshare normally provides. Depending on the passenger’s needs and vehicle availability, the trip may be arranged as ambulatory, wheelchair-accessible or non-emergency stretcher transportation.
Touch of Kindness Transportation is based at 707 Wyoming Avenue in West Pittston and provides medical transportation for patients, families and facilities in the Wyoming Valley and surrounding Pennsylvania communities. To discuss transportation to or from the Geisinger Wyoming Valley campus, call (570) 301-2532.
A medically stable passenger in West Pittston may arrange private NEMT transportation to Geisinger Wyoming Valley by providing the pickup address, exact campus building or department, required arrival time, mobility level, equipment information and return-trip needs. The provider must confirm that the appropriate vehicle and time are available.
Have these details ready
- Required arrival time
- Ambulatory, wheelchair or stretcher need
- Mobility-device details
- One-way or return plan
Why Do Patients Use NEMT to Reach Geisinger Wyoming Valley?
Geisinger Wyoming Valley is a large medical campus with inpatient, outpatient, diagnostic and specialty services. According to Geisinger, the hospital is on East Mountain Boulevard in Wilkes-Barre, about one mile from Interstate 81 and immediately off Route 115. The campus has multiple entrances rather than one universal drop-off point.
Patients may need NEMT because they:
- No longer drive because of age, illness, disability or vision limitations
- Use a manual wheelchair, power wheelchair, mobility scooter, walker or cane
- Cannot safely transfer into an ordinary passenger vehicle
- Need recurring rides for cancer care, cardiac treatment, rehabilitation or testing
- Are being discharged from the hospital and need an assisted ride home
- Must travel lying down but do not require ambulance-level medical care
- Live alone or do not have an available family driver
- Need a caregiver to accompany them, subject to vehicle capacity and advance confirmation
- Have an appointment at a campus entrance that is difficult to reach using fixed-route public transportation
NEMT is for medically stable passengers. It is not a substitute for emergency medical transportation or clinical monitoring. For chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, stroke symptoms, loss of consciousness, uncontrolled bleeding or another possible emergency, call 911.
For a broader explanation of the service, read What Is Non-Emergency Medical Transportation?
Confirm the Correct Geisinger Building and Entrance Before Booking
“Geisinger Wyoming Valley” can refer to several buildings and entrances on the same campus. Giving a dispatcher only the hospital name may not provide enough information for an accurate drop-off.
Before booking, check the appointment reminder, patient portal or instructions from the care team for the exact department, building and entrance. The campus includes the main medical center, Medical Office Building, Richard and Marion Pearsall Heart Hospital, Frank M. and Dorothea Henry Cancer Center and other outpatient locations.
Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center
The main hospital provides acute and inpatient care and includes a 24-hour emergency department. A scheduled NEMT ride should use the entrance identified by the hospital or discharging unit. An emergency department entrance on a campus map does not make NEMT appropriate for an active emergency.
Geisinger’s campus information identifies East and West campus entrances, plus separate access points for the emergency department, Valley Medical Building, Pearsall Heart Hospital and Henry Cancer Center. Because routes, construction and procedures can change, confirm the current entrance before the trip.
Geisinger Medical Office Building Wyoming Valley
950 East Mountain BoulevardThe Medical Office Building houses outpatient specialty services. Geisinger lists ear, nose and throat care, gastroenterology, pulmonary medicine, a retail pharmacy, laboratory services and diagnostic imaging among the services there.
Give the dispatcher the building name instead of asking for a general ride to the hospital. This can reduce unnecessary movement across campus for a passenger with limited mobility.
Richard and Marion Pearsall Heart Hospital
Pearsall Heart Hospital is part of the Geisinger Wyoming Valley campus and provides cardiovascular services. For cardiology testing, a procedure, rehabilitation or follow-up care, confirm whether the instructions name the Pearsall entrance, Medical Office Building or another department.
Frank M. and Dorothea Henry Cancer Center
Patients receiving chemotherapy, radiation, imaging, laboratory work or oncology follow-up may need recurring transportation over several weeks or months.
When arranging cancer treatment transportation, provide the required arrival time and discuss how the return trip will work if appointment length varies.
Which Type of Medical Transportation Should You Request?
The correct vehicle depends on the passenger’s actual mobility and positioning needs—not simply on which option seems most convenient.
Ambulatory transportation
May suit a passenger who can walk independently or with limited assistance. The person may use a cane or walker but must be able to enter, sit in and exit the assigned vehicle safely.
Wheelchair transportation
For a passenger who remains in a wheelchair and needs a suitable ramp or lift, space for the mobility device and securement equipment.
Non-emergency stretcher
May be appropriate when a medically stable passenger cannot sit upright. It is not automatically the same service as an ambulance.
What should you tell the dispatcher?
For an ambulatory passenger, explain whether they use a cane or walker, need an arm for balance, face steps, have limited walking distance, or have difficulty entering a standard-height vehicle.
For a wheelchair passenger, provide the device type; approximate width, length and height; combined passenger-and-device weight if requested; special footrests, headrests, oxygen brackets or accessories; caregiver needs; and any steps, narrow doors or steep ramps.
For stretcher transportation, tell the provider about positioning and access needs. If the passenger requires medical monitoring, oxygen management, medication administration or clinical care during travel, the hospital or treating professional should determine the proper transportation level.
What Information Is Needed to Book the Ride?
Complete information helps prevent the driver from arriving at the wrong entrance or with an unsuitable vehicle.
Identify the passenger and pickup point
Provide the passenger’s name, phone number and reliable contact person. Give the full pickup address, entrance, apartment or room number, and any access instructions.
Name the exact Geisinger destination
Include the building, department, entrance, floor and suite when available. Give the required arrival time—not only the procedure time.
Describe the mobility level and equipment
Say whether the passenger is ambulatory, uses a wheelchair or must travel by stretcher. Include walker, wheelchair, scooter or other equipment information and dimensions.
Explain the trip and return plan
Specify one-way, round trip, recurring appointment or hospital discharge. Give a known return time, expected treatment duration or ask whether a call-when-ready arrangement is offered.
Confirm companions and access barriers
Tell the dispatcher whether a caregiver, aide or family member will travel. Mention steps, narrow halls, locked entrances, elevators or long distances between the residence and vehicle.
Only provide the personal and medical information the transportation provider legitimately needs to arrange the service.
Can Recurring Geisinger Appointments Use a Standing Ride Schedule?
Patients undergoing cancer treatment, cardiac rehabilitation, wound care, infusion therapy, physical therapy or other repeated care may benefit from arranging several rides together.
A standing or recurring schedule may reduce repeated booking work, but every request remains subject to vehicle availability and the provider’s scheduling policy. Provide every appointment date and required arrival time, then confirm:
Do not assume the transportation provider automatically receives updates from Geisinger. The patient, caregiver or facility contact should notify the company whenever an appointment changes.
Can NEMT Pick Someone Up After a Geisinger Hospital Discharge?
A medically stable patient may be able to use hospital discharge transportation to travel home, to a nursing facility or to a rehabilitation center when ambulance-level care is not required.
The care team should identify whether ordinary seating, wheelchair transportation, non-emergency stretcher transportation or an ambulance is appropriate.
Provide the dispatcher:
- Patient name, unit and correct discharge entrance
- Destination address, entrance and access barriers
- Mobility level, transfer ability and equipment needs
- Caregiver and reliable facility-contact details
Discharge times can shift because of paperwork, medication, equipment or final medical clearance. Ask how timing changes and waiting are handled. Same-day transportation may be available when the correct vehicle and driver are open, but it should never be assumed.
Private NEMT, Medicare and Pennsylvania MATP
The fact that a ride is connected to a hospital does not automatically mean insurance will pay for it.
Private NEMT
A private-pay ride is arranged directly with the transportation provider. Ask for a clear quote and confirm whether it includes mileage, tolls, parking, waiting time, an additional passenger and the return trip.
Medicare and Medicare Advantage
Original Medicare does not generally cover routine transportation in a car or NEMT van. Limited medically necessary non-emergency ambulance transportation may be covered when requirements are satisfied.
Some Medicare Advantage plans include transportation benefits, but destinations, trip limits, mileage, authorization and approved providers vary. Call the number on the insurance card before booking. Read Does Medicare Cover NEMT?
Medical Assistance Transportation Program
Eligible Medical Assistance recipients may be able to use MATP administered by LCTA Shared Ride for covered medical services.
LCTA currently states that passengers must establish eligibility and normally schedule an in-county MATP trip one business day ahead and before noon. Verify rules and availability with LCTA at 570-288-8420.
Private NEMT and MATP are different arrangements. If MATP cannot serve a request and the passenger books privately, confirm who will pay. Read What Is MATP?
Transportation From West Pittston and Nearby Communities
Touch of Kindness Transportation’s West Pittston location is positioned to serve passengers traveling from Greater Pittston and surrounding Wyoming Valley communities to the Geisinger Wyoming Valley campus.
This list describes nearby service-area opportunities; it does not guarantee availability for a particular date, vehicle or pickup time. Contact the company with the full trip details for confirmation.
How Should a Passenger Prepare on the Day of the Ride?
Use this checklist to reduce avoidable delays.
After sedation or anesthesia: confirm the facility’s discharge policy before the appointment. Some departments require a responsible adult to accompany the patient or remain with them afterward. A professional driver alone may not satisfy that requirement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Touch of Kindness Transportation work for Geisinger?
Touch of Kindness Transportation is an independent NEMT provider and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or operated by Geisinger. The company may provide transportation to Geisinger destinations when the requested trip is appropriate and available.
Which address should I provide for Geisinger Wyoming Valley?
Use the building and address shown on the appointment instructions. The main hospital, Medical Office Building, Pearsall Heart Hospital and Henry Cancer Center have different arrival points. Providing only “Geisinger” may not be enough.
Can a driver take me to the correct hospital entrance?
The driver can use the entrance information provided during booking. Confirm the building, department and entrance with Geisinger before the trip because campus access and procedures can change.
Can a caregiver ride with the patient?
Ride-along arrangements may be available depending on vehicle capacity and the passenger’s needs. Tell the dispatcher about the caregiver when booking.
Can I book wheelchair transportation to the Henry Cancer Center?
Wheelchair-accessible transportation may be arranged when a suitable vehicle is available and the passenger’s wheelchair can be safely accommodated. Provide the wheelchair type, dimensions and any special equipment before the ride is accepted.
Can NEMT wait during my appointment?
Waiting and return-trip policies vary. Ask whether the trip includes waiting, a scheduled return pickup or a call-when-ready arrangement. Confirm any additional waiting charge before booking.
Can I request a ride home from the emergency department?
A medically stable person who has been discharged may be able to use NEMT when the hospital determines that ambulance-level care is not needed. NEMT should not be requested for an active emergency.
How far in advance should I schedule?
Schedule as early as practical, especially for wheelchair, stretcher, early-morning, weekend, holiday or recurring trips. Same-day transportation may be possible when the correct vehicle and driver are available, but it is not guaranteed.
Arrange a Ride From West Pittston to Geisinger Wyoming Valley
Touch of Kindness Transportation provides ambulatory, wheelchair-accessible and non-emergency stretcher transportation for medically stable passengers traveling to healthcare appointments and facilities across the Wyoming Valley.
Have the pickup address, exact Geisinger building or entrance, required arrival time, mobility level, equipment information, return plan and caregiver details ready.
Touch of Kindness Transportation · 707 Wyoming Ave, West Pittston, PA 18704
Official Sources Used for Fact Verification
- Geisinger Wyoming Valley: maps, directions and parking
- Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center location
- Geisinger Medical Office Building Wyoming Valley
- Geisinger outpatient registration update
- LCTA Medical Assistance Transportation
- Touch of Kindness Transportation
Medical, insurance and affiliation disclaimer: This article provides general transportation information and is not medical, legal or insurance advice. Coverage, eligibility and facility procedures vary. Confirm medical appropriateness with the treating facility and verify transportation benefits directly with the applicable insurer or public program. Touch of Kindness Transportation is an independent provider and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or operated by Geisinger.