Nonprofit hospitals score $3.2 million from Southwest Airlines to cover patient transportation

Seventy-three nonprofit hospitals and medical organizations nationwide will share in a $3.2 million grant by Southwest Airlines that funds roundtrip air travel for specialized medical care to families who need it.

Often the financial burden of treating serious illness is crippling enough. Adding travel expenses to already mounting costs can add a layer of stress. Moreover, specialized treatments and clinical trials require travel to multiple facilities, complicating logistics for families already struggling to cope, Southwest said.

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Southwest said they expect to provide more than $3.2 million in free transportation to caregivers and patients seeking specialized medical care in 2016. Some of the facilities who participate in the program include Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and numerous other cancer centers, University Medical Center Tuscon, Tampa General Hospital, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cedars-Sinai, University of Chicago Medicine, and numerous children's hospitals like Arkansas Children's Hospital and St. Jude's Research Hospital. Each has unique guidelines for the administration of tickets.

The Transportation Grant Program started in 2007. Since then, Southwest said more than $19.6 million in free transportation has been distributed to organizations in 26 states. 

Twitter: @BethJSanborn