Going to the Doctor? There’s an Uber for That

Transportation is a barrier to healthcare, and rideshare company Uber wants to help people get to the doctor.

Uber recently announced it is teaming up with healthcare organizations to provide transportation to and from medical appointments.

Using a HIPAA compliant digital platform, medical providers will be able to schedule rides for patients. The providers will also cover the costs of the rides.

Uber Health will allow patients without a smartphone — who wouldn’t be able to use Uber otherwise — to become customers.

For Uber drivers, it is business as usual.

Around 3.6 million Americans miss doctor’s appointments or delay medical care due to a lack of transportation every year, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Those missed appointments cost the medical system more than $150 billion a year, according to reports.

So far, Uber says 100 healthcare organizations in the U.S. have been part of the test program. The service will roll out gradually.

On-demand transportation Lyft has also entered the medical rideshare space.

The rideshare services raise new liability questions for medical providers.