Uber Just Launched A New Service To Help Patients Without Transportation Get To Doctor’s Appointments

Smartphone users have the luxury of opening an app and requesting that a chariot arrive within two to six minutes to whisk them away to a previously specified destination. That's right: Ride-share apps like Uber have made transportation easier for most Americans, no matter where they are. But what about people who live independently and aren't able to utilize these apps, let alone the little computer thing-a-ma-jig all the kids these days are attached to? That's where Uber's new feature, Uber Health comes in. And, if you're wondering what Uber Health is, I'm glad you asked — it's the latest advancement in how Uber is making little things easier.

When you're in desperate need of a ride, you probably say something like, "I'm going to call an Uber." The app sits in our smartphones like a little, technological knight in shining Honda Accord. It's reliable. And now with Uber Health, it's even more dependable for a wider user network — even those who technically aren't users because they don't have the app, or don't even have a smartphone at all.

As a spokesperson for Uber tells Bustle, "Uber has changed the way people live their lives in ways that we never expected — whether it helps reduce drinking and driving, returns independence to the lives of seniors, or provides newfound mobility to those living in underserved areas.. But there’s additional work that we can do from the Uber side to impact people’s lives — and Uber Health is an example of this."

In short, Uber is partnering with health organizations to ensure that patients and staff have reliable transportation to their doctors appointments, even if they don't have a smartphone with the Uber app or a car themselves. According to a press release in the Uber Newsroom, "Every year, 3.6 million Americans miss doctor appointments due to a lack of reliable transportation." And across the nation the no-show rate is 30 percent. Seeing a doctor and receiving medical care is a basic right that everyone should have, but for those who lack forms of reliable transportation, actually making it to a doctor appointment can be extremely tricky — occasionally impossible. For those who lack transportation to health-related appointments, now Uber Health can step in to allow doctors to schedule rides for their patients, even up to 30 days in advance.

According to an Uber spokesperson speaking to Bustle, the new feature is extremely easy to use, and patients don't even need a smartphone to utilize it. In short, their doctor will be able to call them a ride. "Administrators can schedule rides for patients, staff, or others to take place right away, within a few hours, or up to 30 days in advance. This allows for transportation to be scheduled for follow up appointments while the patient is still at the healthcare facility."

Already, 100 healthcare organizations are utilizing the benefits of Uber Health so that the classic "apple a day" phrase doesn't turn into "lack of appropriate forms of transportation keeps the doctor away." These healthcare organizations include hospitals, health clinics, rehab centers, senior care facilities, physical therapy facilities, and home care facilities.

Organizations can rely on simple billing management to track how much is being spent on rides, and Uber Health can be managed through your desktop computer or laptop. It's a truly helpful development that ensures that your loved ones are being taken care of and don't have to worry about how they'll get to their next doctor's appointment. Because when it comes to going to the doctor the only concern a patient should have is getting better.