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today In health it we're discussing RWJ Barnabas Health. Teaming up with Uber to eliminate transportation barriers. Welcome back to Today in Health It where we explore the latest developments in healthcare information technology. I'm Kate Gamble, and joining me as always is Sarah Richardson. Sarah, welcome to the show.

Thank you, Kate, because we're diving into a compelling initiative by R wj, Barnabas Health that's making waves in patient transportation and care accessibility.

Absolutely. So R wj Barnabas Health, a 14 hospital system based in New Jersey, has partnered with uber Health to provide free rides to underserved patients. This initiative aims to reduce no show rates and enhance patient engagement. We're seeing this in a few parts of the country, including Washington, dc, Mississippi, Georgia, and Arizona.

Let's explore this initiative by highlighting five key aspects and discussing their implications for healthcare IT leaders and the broader industry.

So first up, the core of the program, partnering with Uber Health to offer free rides to patients by integrating Uber's Transportation Services.

Our WJ Barnabas addresses a critical barrier to healthcare access transportation. This is particularly vital for underserved communities where lack of reliable transport can lead to missed appointments and fragmented care.

Absolutely. And transportation challenges have long been a hurdle in patient adherence to treatment plans.

So when you eliminate this obstacle, you not only improve individual health outcomes, but you also reduce the broader economic impact that may be associated with missed appointments.

And this leads to the second point, which is the impact on no-show rates. Missed appointments can disrupt care, continuity, and inflate operational costs.

So by providing reliable transportation, organizations like RWJ Barnabas have seen a notable decrease in no-show rates, enhancing both patient outcomes and clinic efficiency.

Lower no-show rates means better resource utilization. So as the Healthcare IT leader, this is going to show the importance of integrating external services like Uber Health into existing systems to help streamline operations and improve patient engagement.

So next, let's consider the role of technology integration. Seamlessly incorporating Uber Health's platform with rwj. Barnabas's Scheduling Systems ensures a smooth experience for both patients and staff, and this integration facilitates automated ride scheduling and real-time tracking, which can reduce administrative burden.

And I

love

this because it's truly a prime example of how digital health solutions can be leveraged to address. Social determinants of health. And so for CIOs, CTOs, and others, it's also gonna emphasize the potential of tech partnerships in enhancing patient care delivery.

And what I like about this also is that

It acknowledges the focus on underserved populations, so by targeting communities with limited access to transportation, R wj Barnabas is actively promoting health equity, and this aligns with broader industry goals of reducing disparities in health access and outcomes.

When you consider the overall ability to address social determinants of health.

Like transportation, it is crucial. So if I'm the CMIO or even the CMO, they can draw inspiration from the model to develop similar programs that cater to the unique needs of their patient populations. I. It is gonna be key though on the ability for Uber and Uber health to be available in some of these more populated regions.

You and I'd love to cover aspects of rural health and hopefully it's a space that also gets to get to regions that are harder to access because of geography.

Yeah, that's a good point. And that's an important one. That, and when we talk about the potential for scalability and replication, what RWJ Barnabas is doing, their success offers a blueprint for other health systems to follow.

But as you pointed out, you have to have the infrastructure in place where you have Ubers and Lyfts. But by demonstrating the feasibility and benefits of these partnerships, what this does is it paves the way for broader adoption across the industry. It

does. And for healthcare leaders, it raises important considerations about resource allocation and strategic planning.

So if you're investing in similar initiatives, could they yield significant returns in patient satisfaction and operational efficiency? Ideally, the answer is yes.

So just to reflect a bit on what we discussed, how can healthcare organizations balance the integration of external services while maintaining control over patient care quality?

It's really a Kate about establishing robust partnerships with clear communication channels and also shared goals. Ensuring that external services align with the organization's standards and patient objectives is gonna be really important,

it also prompts us to consider the broader implications of technology in addressing social determinants of health.

Are there other areas where similar approaches could be beneficial? Because

beyond transportation, technology can aid in areas like remote patient monitoring, telehealth services, and access to healthy food options, all things that you and I talk about on a pretty consistent basis. The key here is going to be identifying the specific barriers faced by patient populations and leveraging technology to mitigate them.

I literally live in a town where you cannot get an Uber out of here. You can get Uber to bring you to town, but there's no Uber in the town that I live in.

Yeah, I don't think that's all that uncommon. So that's something to consider. And for those who are leaders listening to this, it's also worth contemplating how these types of models can be adapted to your organizations.

What types of partnerships can you forge to enhance access and care delivery, and how does

technology get harnessed to address the unique challenges your patients are facing? These are critical questions that can drive innovation. Improve health outcomes.

As we wrap up, it's clear that R WJ Collaboration with Uber Health exemplifies a proactive approach to overcoming healthcare access barriers, and it serves as a model for integrating technology and community partnerships to enhance patient care. So if you are the HIT

executive listening to us this morning, remember that this is highlighting the importance of innovative thinking and strategic collaborations in addressing social determinants of health.

But it's also a reminder that technology, when it is thoughtfully applied, it can be a very powerful tool in advancing health equity.

That's it for Today's episode, join us tomorrow when we discuss Sanford Health's big AI bet. Remember to share this podcast with a friend or colleague.

📍 Use it as a foundation for daily or weekly discussions on the topics that are relevant to you in the industry. They can subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Sarah, thank you for joining and thank you all for listening. That's a wrap.