Photo: Ford
According to a study by Transit Cooperative Research Program, the non-medical-emergency medical transportation segment is worth more than $3 billion. And a share of that is now eyed by Ford with its new GoRide service.
To be tried as a pilot program in Southeast Michigan, the Ford service will be used to get patients to and from their medical appointments to more than 200 facilities within the Beaumont Health network.
In justifying the decision of launch this service, the company cited another study, conducted by SCI Solutions, that says missed appointments and scheduling inefficiencies amount to loses of about $150 billion a year.
Ford will be using some its vehicles for this service, including modified vans for transporting patients with special needs, like those in wheelchairs. In the initial tests conducted, the drivers of the vans were on time to pick up and deliver patients in 92 percent of the cases.
Currently, there are 15 Transit vehicles charged with providing to GoRide service, with another 70 planned to be added by the end of 2018. All of the vans have been specially fitted to accommodate the needs of various patients, including with special access ramps and flexible seating options.
“There’s no excuse for the fact that so many people have trouble simply making it to their medical appointments,” said Marion Harris, in charge with Ford Mobility services.
“Our service is focused on multiple social determinants of health, and delivers the quality of care and on-time certainty that medical facilities need to increase throughput and reduce wait times.”
Ford is not the only company eyeing this emergent market. Uber announced the introduction of its Health service, currently used by over 100 healthcare organizations in the U.S.
For both companies, patients get a series of advantages when calling such a service, including the possibility to reserve a ride for up to 30 days in advance.
In justifying the decision of launch this service, the company cited another study, conducted by SCI Solutions, that says missed appointments and scheduling inefficiencies amount to loses of about $150 billion a year.
Ford will be using some its vehicles for this service, including modified vans for transporting patients with special needs, like those in wheelchairs. In the initial tests conducted, the drivers of the vans were on time to pick up and deliver patients in 92 percent of the cases.
Currently, there are 15 Transit vehicles charged with providing to GoRide service, with another 70 planned to be added by the end of 2018. All of the vans have been specially fitted to accommodate the needs of various patients, including with special access ramps and flexible seating options.
“There’s no excuse for the fact that so many people have trouble simply making it to their medical appointments,” said Marion Harris, in charge with Ford Mobility services.
“Our service is focused on multiple social determinants of health, and delivers the quality of care and on-time certainty that medical facilities need to increase throughput and reduce wait times.”
Ford is not the only company eyeing this emergent market. Uber announced the introduction of its Health service, currently used by over 100 healthcare organizations in the U.S.
For both companies, patients get a series of advantages when calling such a service, including the possibility to reserve a ride for up to 30 days in advance.
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