Two years ago, West Orange, N.J.-based RWJBarnabas partnered with Uber Health to provide free rides to underserved patients. Now, it plans to expand the program to all 14 of its hospitals, NJ.com reported March 21.
The original partnership used $25 million in state funding to provide free rides to underserved patients at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. Patients could receive nonemergency medical rides to the hospital, physician or pharmacy. To participate, patients call the RWJBarnabas’ Uber Health hub, run by eight employees who schedule the rides. Patients get access for 120 days, after which if they still need ride access, they can be reenrolled.
The program was then expanded to five more of the system’s 14 hospitals through an additional $50 million in state funding. Patients could also request to be taken to food pantries and shelters along with medical appointments.
“As a hospital system, we’re clinical, but at the same time, we’re also caring for communities,” Balpreet Grewal-Virk, PhD, senior vice president of community health, told the news outlet. “It’s important to look at all these factors. What other things are happening in your life that are keeping you from being healthy?”
As of February, the system has coordinated more than 47,440 rides for patients. Fewer appointments have been missed, medication pickup has happened more quickly and patients report greater access to community resources such as food pantries.
The system plans to expand the service to the rest of its hospitals this year, Dr. Grewal-Virk told the news outlet.
