Rideshare-Based Medical Transportation for Medicaid Patients
An Evidence-Based Practice
Description
Transportation to primary care is a barrier for patients with Medicaid due to the affordability, availability, lack of mobility assistance and wheel-chair lifts, and reliability of these transports. Patients who face these barriers to transportation are less likely to make their scheduled appointments with primary care providers and are more likely to visit more costly, acute care settings for primary care.
However, Rideshare services, like Uber and Lyft, are more convenient and less costly than traditional non-emergency medical transports. Therefore, to test whether these could be used to effectively improve Medicaid patient primary care show rates, researchers designed a rideshare-based transportation intervention for Medicaid patients in the West Philidelphia area.
However, Rideshare services, like Uber and Lyft, are more convenient and less costly than traditional non-emergency medical transports. Therefore, to test whether these could be used to effectively improve Medicaid patient primary care show rates, researchers designed a rideshare-based transportation intervention for Medicaid patients in the West Philidelphia area.
Goal / Mission
To evaluate the impact of rideshare-based medical transportation on the proportion of Medicaid patients attending scheduled primary care appointments.
Results / Accomplishments
Patients of an internal medicine practice in West Philadelphia were offered pre-scheduled, free Lyft rides to primary care appointments.Show rates for 2.5-month period at intervention practice were compared to show rates of similar, control practice in West Philadelphia which did not offer transportation (n=194 in intervention group, 312 in comparison group).
For participants in the rideshare practice, statistically significant improvement was seen in the primary care provider show rate from 54% to 68%. For those not receiving the rideshare, a decline in show rate was observed (from 60% to 51%).
For participants in the rideshare practice, statistically significant improvement was seen in the primary care provider show rate from 54% to 68%. For those not receiving the rideshare, a decline in show rate was observed (from 60% to 51%).
About this Promising Practice
Primary Contact
Krisda Chaiyachati, MD, MPH, MSHP
423 Guardian Drive
Blockley Hall, Room 1313
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215-898-2257
kchai@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
https://www.med.upenn.edu/apps/faculty/index.php/g...
423 Guardian Drive
Blockley Hall, Room 1313
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215-898-2257
kchai@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
https://www.med.upenn.edu/apps/faculty/index.php/g...
Topics
Health / Health Care Access & Quality
Community / Transportation
Community / Transportation
Location
Philadelphia area, PA
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