Improving Member Care Through Rideshare

Innovations & Initiatives, Transforming Communities

03/04/2020

African-American man opens door to rideshare car

Non-emergency transportation is an emerging field in healthcare. More than 3.6 million people miss healthcare appointments each year due to transportation issues, according to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Without reliable transportation, a significant social determinant of health, members often miss regular appointments, hindering their access to proper healthcare. As part of Centene's commitment to removing barriers to care, it was vital to establish new transportation options for our members.

Ridesharing is a service that arranges rides in real-time, usually coordinated through an easy-to-use mobile app. These rides make use of recent technological advances: GPS navigation devices, smartphones, cloud integration, and social networks. Popular ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft are now partnering with the healthcare industry to help members receive the care they need.

Over the past two years, several of Centene's health plans have partnered with Lyft to transport members to non-emergency medical appointments via rideshare. The Centene health plans currently using rideshare services include Health Net in California, Superior HealthPlan in Texas, Buckeye Health Plan in Ohio, Sunshine Health in Florida, Peach State Health Plan in Georgia, Managed Health Services in Indiana, and Home State Health in Missouri.

The results to date are impressive:

  • Reduced wait times resulting in five-star ratings by 88% of members.
  • Increased customer satisfaction scores by 68%.
  • Decreased member complaints by 66%.
  • Improved health outcomes and clinical results.

This data supports our investment in non-emergency transportation as a tangible benefit for our members. Their comfort, safety, and perception of the ride greatly influences a member's outlook on accessing their care and their partnership with their health plan.

New transportation initiatives are part of Centene's plan to continually innovate and reevaluate the best ways to deliver care to those we serve. Learn more about how we eliminate social determinants of health and other obstacles that prevent individuals from receiving the care they deserve through our continued investment in new technology.