platforms with commercial ridesharing services, like Lyft and Uber, allowing the adjuster, coordinator and injured worker to monitor rides—in real time—with the assurance that the driver is available, vetted, on-time and reliable. Injured workers know their driver’s name, make of car and if desired, license plate number. The technology-enabled ridesharing solution is easy, safe, prompt and accommodates restrictions injured workers may have due to their injury. That may sound simple, but it’s a radical change. Going from passive to active ride management is a transformative experience for everyone involved. Before the injured worker is picked up, the technologyenabled ride management functions are faster, simpler and less timeconsuming. Users avoid the potential for a failed or late pick-up, as well as the need for time to make a new appointment and re-book transportation arrangements. All transactions are transparent; all parties know what is happening at all times. Injured workers can rate their satisfaction with their driver and ride for additional insight into the customer experience.
THE PROOF IS IN THE NUMBERS
Although data regarding the use of ridesharing services in the healthcare industry is still scarce due to the fact its use is relatively new within the space, what numbers exist are remarkable. CareMore, a Medicare health plan in California, partnered with Lyft for a pilot to coordinate nearly 500 rides for Medicare beneficiaries. The beneficiaries’ age and relative health affected their ability to drive and therefore they relied on a third party to get to appointments. Because many of the beneficiaries do not own or could not use a smartphone, CareMore and Lyft established a process where they could use a landline phone or basic cellphone to call for a ride. Nearly one-third of the beneficiaries said that receiving a ride to and from appointments was as important to their
health as monitoring their blood pressure. The Lyft drivers who participated in the program also received training to appropriately handle Medicare patients. The results were impressive: • Average wait times for Lyft rides were less than nine minutes, compared to more than 12.5 minutes for traditional medical transportation service contractors. • More than 80 percent of beneficiaries said they were satisfied with the service they received. In a pilot between Lyft and a leading provider of reliable and consistent connections to care in the workers’ compensation industry, the average injured worker was picked up in under nine minutes from the time a vehicle was dispatched. The collaboration also improved the fulfillment of ‘rush’ ride requests by more than 64 percent. Rush requests represent
one of the biggest challenges in healthcare transportation today. The constant feedback loop from multiple parties saves time, keeps everyone informed, and provides transparency into the transportation transaction. Driver qualifications and the safety of the patient continue to be the highest priorities when collaborating with ridesharing services. Providers should be aware of credentialing of drivers, including licensing, verification of driving record and background for seven years, drug tests, vehicle registration, licensing to operate as a passenger transport vehicle, and additional local requirements. Workers’ compensation providers should verify that Lyft’s standards meet or exceed all of these requirements. In addition, Lyft performs a proprietary vehicle inspection and re-credentials its drivers every six months. The workers’ compensation industry can now utilize technology-enabled active ride
FEBRUARY 2018 | PUBLIC RISK
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