Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/976338
68 HEALTHCARE NEWS Uber launches 'Uber Health' to transport patients to physicians' offices By Alyssa Rege R ide-hailing service app Uber on March 1 announced its intent to team up with various health- care organizations nationwide to provide transportation for patients traveling to and from medical appointments, accord- ing to NPR. e service, Uber Health, aims to help patients make it to their medical appointments on time. For patients without smartphones, receptionists or other staffers at participating physicians' offices can sched- ule their rides for immediate pickup or dropoff up to 30 days in advance. "Transportation barriers are the greatest for vulner- able populations," said Chris Weber, general manager of Uber Health, adding the service "will provide reliable, comfortable transportation for patients," but will not act as a supplement to ambulances for patients in critical need of care. Rather than operating through an app, Uber Health will send passengers their ride informa- tion via text message. Drivers, however, will still locate and pick up riders through the Uber app, allowing them to abide by the patient privacy laws outlined in HIPAA. Roughly 100 healthcare facili- ties nationwide participated in Uber Health's test program. e company said it plans to roll out the feature to par- ticipating facilities gradually. Officials also said they hope to introduce an option for passengers to receive a call with their trip details to their landline, according to the report. n Apple will open medical clinics for its employees this spring By Alia Paavola A pple is launching AC Wellness, a group of primary health clinics for its own employees and their families in spring 2018, reports CNBC. The new primary care clinics will initially only serve Apple's employees in Santa Clara County in California, where its headquarters is located. Currently, there are only two clinics included in the venture. Apple quietly created the website acwellness.com with details about its move to establish these health clinics and a careers page listing jobs. AC Wellness, which Apple's website calls a "subsidiary of Apple, Inc.," is seeking primary care physicians, exercise coaches, behavioral health part- ners, phlebotomists, nurse practitioners and care navigators, among others. According to CNBC, a job listing for AC Wellness posted on Indeed.com describes the network of clinics as "multiple, stunning state-of-the-art medical centers." Besides typical medical roles, Apple is also seeking "designers" for the health clinics who will help establish a program focused on prevention efforts, according to CNBC. Sources familiar with the company's move into healthcare told CNBC the company will leverage its medical clinics as a way to test its health services and advance its Apple Watch studies. The news comes as Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPM- organ Chase & Co. announced they would partner to cut healthcare costs for their U.S. employees — and also follows Apple CEO Tim Cook's comment to investors that Apple could make a "significant contribution" in healthcare. n nebuladataintel.com/demo • 847-775-1853 Elevating medicine through data insights. Participation is free. Contact us today for a demo. NDI is a non-disruptive, FREE program for outpatient surgical centers that provides real-time benchmarking for informed decision making. NDI Nebula Data Intel, LLC.