Lyft and Uber are ubiquitous today. People often use both of these companies as verbs, with everyone “Ubering” to where they need to go. So it only seems natural that these two companies would expand their services to offer medical transportation. And why not? People need to get to doctor appointments. But here’s why Lyft and Uber aren’t the best option for medical transportation:

First, The Benefits

First, the benefits of these companies increasing their medical transportation services are obvious. Sadly, missed medical appointments cost taxpayers millions of dollars because of increased negative health outcomes. So any help that’s provided is better not only for those who need medical attention, but for the US as a whole.

Also, these services would provide “curb-to-curb” pick-up. This means the driver would come to pick up the customers at their location. And House Bill 411 proposes that these services would be covered under Medicaid.

Why Choose Medical Transportation Companies

Now, let’s focus on why Lyft and Uber aren’t the best option for medical transportation. And it starts with the “curb-to-curb” pick-up. Medical transportation companies have MAVs, or medically-assisted vehicles, that are designed to help patients with mobility issues get transportation. This includes hydraulic wheelchair ramps and stretchers. Unfortunately, Lyft and Uber cannot provide the same service.

And training is an issue too. For example, medical transportation companies such as Abba Medical Transportation have ambulance staff members that have CPR, EMT, or MAV certifications. This allows them to equipped for an emergency situation during the medical transportation. Lyft and Uber drivers? Not so much.

Having said that, while it’s great that Lyft and Uber will help provide more people with access to the treatment they need, medical transportation companies like Abba Medical Transportation are still the better option. And Abba Medical Transportation is a company that’s built with customer service in mind. So if you need emergency or non-emergency medical transportation, it’s still better to go with companies that specialize in it. Companies like Abba Medical Transportation.