Several hospitals in the United States maintain parking areas exclusively for RVs, with power hookups included. One of these hospitals is OHSU Hospital, one of the two Level I trauma centers in the state. Since 2009, the hospital has provided patients with the amenity without charge, according to CBS News.
According to experts in the medical and RV industries, hospitals that provide RV parking make it easier for some patients-like many rural residents—who must travel far for care to receive medical services.
The RV Industry Association's Monika Geraci said she could see the appeal for patients who travel with RVs. People are allowed to bring all of their own belongings, including their bed, bedding, bathroom, and kitchen.
According to Brett Dodson, who is in charge of the hospital's parking and transportation services, many patients travel eight to ten hours in order to receive treatment there.
The maximum stay for a patient in an RV space is 30 days at a period, with an average stay of roughly seven days. Patients who depend on the hospital for ongoing care, such as kidney dialysis, stay there frequently.
Recently, transplant patients and a family with a newborn in the intensive care unit took up some of the available spaces, according to Dodson.
The locations allow patients to stay near to their healthcare professionals without incurring hotel costs.
Dodson's staff directs patients to the on-site accommodation that OHSU manages in collaboration with the neighborhood chapter of Ronald McDonald House Charities or a nearby hotel that offers patients a discounted rate if they don't have access to an RV or would like to stay in a hotel.
According to Dodson, the RV rooms not only make patients more comfortable but also enable the hospital to offer greater treatment.
Hospitals' accommodations for RV travelers vary greatly, and many don't adhere to a formal protocol. Not all of the facilities that do provide overnight RV parking have specific sites or utility hookups, unlike OHSU Hospital.
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RV Parking Increasing in Hospitals Across the Country
At the Bozeman Health Deaconess Regional Medical Center in Montana, patients have been parking their RVs for years. It began haphazardly when tourists became ill or injured while exploring the 56,000-person alpine city.
Bozeman Health established a short-term RV parking program at the hospital this spring, which has thus far primarily been utilized by Montanans seeking treatment they couldn't get closer to home.
Bozeman Health invested a lot of time and effort into becoming a major medical center in southwest Montana, including specialty services like pediatric intensive care and cancer treatment.
The rivalry for accommodations during the busiest travel season is fierce as hotel rates have surged in the target town, one of the entrances to Yellowstone National Park.
Publications and forums for RV owners have provided guidance on the subject because it isn't always obvious whether a hospital will permit someone to park an RV on its grounds.
The Family Motor Coach Association's publication, Family RVing, had an item advising readers to contact ahead and request permission.
According to the editor of the magazine, Robbin Gould, the group does not, however, have explicit rules for its members regarding RV parking at hospitals. However, "according to reports from various FMCA members, hospital officials have authorized them to park their RVs on hospital property," she claimed.
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