Certain primary determinants of health – like access to transportation options, public safety, and additional resources like local food markets and healthcare services – tend to affect long-term population and patient health outcomes. Over time, the negative effects gradually impact the most prone communities like the elderly, low-income, or chronically ill.
In the United States, lack of access to transportation has become a notable barrier to care that causes appointments to be rescheduled or missed, delayed care, and missed or delayed medication use.
Reports have it that close to 6 million Americans do not make it to their medical care in a year owing to transportation issues and that one missed appointment can cause heightened rates of attrition, where patients stop seeing their regular providers.
Owing to that, Uber launched a program called Uber Health that focuses on aiding people to get to and from their doctor appointments or other medical procedures. The rides are still provided by Uber drivers, but the patients being transported aren’t the people who book the rides.
Healthcare organizations register with the program and schedule rides for their patients. They’re also tasked with paying for each ride because it is designed as an extra service healthcare organizations can offer their patients. Note that numerous features make Uber Health very functional and attractive to doctors and patients.
Patients are not expected to install the Uber Health app on their smartphones and can have access to the service even if they don’t own a Smartphone. Uber tends to notify them about each ride via a regular cell phone, text message, or landline call. All parties involved can leverage flexible ride scheduling features.
As a medical practitioner, you can choose to order an on-demand ride or schedule a future ride for a patient. Note that you can book an Uber Health ride up to 30 days in advance. The portal used by health providers makes it very easy to book, reschedule, and view rides on behalf of patients from one single dashboard.
Uber is credited with solving HIPAA issues by guarantying that all Uber Health information about rides gets stored only on the client-side. Have it in mind that data doesn’t get stored on Uber’s side at all. Every data is stored on HIPAA-compliant servers. Doctors can handle billing from the Uber Health dashboard.
Every information or reporting is shown in one place, and bills get paid once per month inside the billing portal. It also features its own API technology so that health providers can infuse the Uber Health app’s functionality into existing CRM (contact relationship management) software used by doctors.
Steps to Contact Uber for NEMT Partnership
Healthcare organizations and interested drivers can both contact Uber for NEMT Partnership; however, they will have to leverage different routes.
For Doctors or Healthcare Organizations
The Uber Health option isn’t available inside the regular Uber app. Instead, healthcare organizations or doctors will have to access Uber Health at health.uber.com. That’s the HIPPA-compliant website made available by Uber for doctors to use when scheduling Uber trips for patients.
You or your chosen admin person will have to accept Uber’s email invite to join your practice’s Uber for Business account. You can then use health.uber.com to log in and arrange rides for patients after the account gets set up.
As a doctor, have it in mind that you can access any type of vehicle available in your specific area at the time of requesting a ride. Note that the only service that you can’t access is Uber Pool. But you can request cars that Uber features on its UberX, Uber Comfort, Uber Green, Uber Black, and other Uber vehicle classes.
Doctors or employees inside the practice are also allowed to contact Uber Health by sending an email to support@health.uber.com. Everything about partnering with Uber is easy and convenient, and you or a staff member can visit business.uber.com to enable what Uber calls its healthcare rides program.
For Uber Health Drivers
To contact Uber for the NEMT partnership, a driver who already rides with Uber will just have to log into the driver app, and then notify they are available for Uber Health rides. However, if you are new to the platform, there are requirements you will be expected to meet.
Uber will request that you send your auto insurance proof and a copy of your driver’s license. Once you pass the background check, you will be notified that you can start driving for the rideshare app.
Have it in mind that you will receive a notification inside the app when an Uber Health rider needs you. You only have to accept the ping and head to the pickup location. You are expected to pick up your rider and carefully transport them to or from an office visit. It is unlikely that you’ll do only Uber Health rides.
A good number of Uber Health drivers also do other types of rides, such as the regular UberX option. You can also choose to even deliver for Uber Eats as an Uber driver. The objective should be to add Uber Health into the mix to offer you the opportunity to pick up more rides. Nonetheless, general driver requirements include;
- Must be 21 years or older
- Need access to a 4-door truck, car, or minivan
- Have auto insurance in place
- Have a valid driver’s license
- Have a clean driving record
- Have three or more years of driving experience
- Can successfully pass the Uber background check
Conclusion
Since its launch, Uber Health has made a positive impact on healthcare. When you put into consideration the millions of doctor’s appointments that patients miss every year just because they don’t have access to transportation, it is easy to see why Uber Health has been met with positive reviews.
In the United States, some patients can’t receive care when they need it and this causes their health to decline over time. Uber Health has made a significant impact to ensure these people get the medical assistance they need to live improved lives.
As a medical provider, you can leverage Uber Health to help patients visit your facility and get home afterward safely. As an Uber Health driver, you can make a massive difference in the life of those people you offer these rides.