Going to the doctor is already a chore in and of itself — after all, chances are that you’re coughing, sniffling, or otherwise uncomfortable when you finally decide to do the responsible thing and give your health care professional a call. So the last thing you want is a troublesome commute to your doctor’s office. Enter a new partnership between on-demand, non-emergency health care transportation startup Circulation and ridesharing giant Lyft. The two companies are hoping to make your next trip to the doctor as painless as possible.
Beginning Tuesday, December 5, Circulation users can schedule Lyft rides through Circulation’s digital transportation platform. While these rides obviously aren’t meant for emergency situations (you’ll need to call an actual ambulance with actual medical professionals for those situations), for all other scenarios, the new Lyft partnership is said to expand Circulation’s coverage to clients nationwide, and help bring patients to more than 1,000 health care facilities.
“Transportation should be the last thing people need to worry about when getting to health care appointments. That’s why partnering with Circulation, an organization that is centered around patient convenience and simplicity, is a natural fit with our mission to improve people’s lives with the world’s best transportation,” said Gyre Renwick, vice president of Lyft Business. “Circulation seamlessly connects to Lyft’s API, making it easy for health facilities to request a Lyft ride when they need one. Together, we’re working to remove transportation barriers that previously stood in the way of getting people the care they need.”
With the help of Circulation, health care facilities have reported that 95 percent of patients arrive to appointments on time, and that only 8 percent are no-shows. This represents a pretty impressive figure considering that the industry average for no-shows to appointments is a whopping 25-50 percent.
“This partnership represents another step by Circulation towards improving convenience and satisfaction for health care travel,” Circulation co-founder and CEO Robin Heffernan said. “Outsourced call centers, multiday advance scheduling, long wait times, and no visibility are quickly becoming a thing of the past for health care logistics. Patients and providers expect the same service that they receive outside health care — namely convenience, quality, and reliability.
“Lyft is a collaborative partner with a track record demonstrating a strong commitment to the health care space,” Heffernan added.
