Uber Health will Let Those Without Smartphones Ride Safe
Lauren Mineau | March 02, 2018Uber has saved many from getting behind the wheel after too much to drink or gotten people to the airport when all one’s friends are busy. But now, with a new service, the ridehailing service is hoping to help people get to where they need when it comes to what’s most important — health.
Earlier this week, Uber launched Uber Health, which is a way for healthcare providers to partner with the service to make sure patients have a way to and from appointments.
Annually, 3.6 million Americans miss an appointment because of lack of transportation, according to the Community Transportation Association, and the no-show rate is as high as 30 percent nationally.
A screenshot of the Uber Health app in use. Source: Uber
The new service will allow staff at a doctor’s office or facility to schedule rides along with follow up appointments up to 30 days in advance. The dashboard allows a user to manage multiple rides at the same time, and the service can be used without a smartphone.
The communication between app and user is all done through text message and the company also plans to develop technology to make phone calls to landlines too.
In development of this service, Uber worked with Clearwater Compliance, a leading HIPAA compliance company, to conduct comprehensive risk and compliance assessments.
Several medical offices had been using the service in the beta phase, but now it’s available to all. For more information visit uberhealth.com.
Who pays?
Interesting how this is labeled 'ride safe'.
Aside from effective marketing/branding by Uber, why would this particular method of obtaining a ride be any more safe?
#1. You.
#2. It might not be.
Generally " each " city would require a driver to pay fees and be DOT certified, carry a million dollar bond and may need workman's compensation insurance also. Then you have inspections, cpr, first aid, continuing education, etc. Medi cal / Medi care is a whole other can of worms.
I don't know if the average Uber guy is going to want to go to all of the extra expense to make a few more bucks.