Hospital patients get a ‘Lyft’
El Camino Hospital is partnering with Lyft to help shuttle more seniors and residents around its service area.
The hospital’s RoadRunners transportation service has been in operation for 30 years. Volunteers drive older residents to medical appointments, senior centers, banks, grocery stores and to various other locations for errands.
But according to Margaret Wilmer, senior director of integrated care at El Camino Hospital, hospital officials have found there are limitations to the program in terms of how many people RoadRunners can pick up as there are only so many cars and volunteers available.
Lyft is now providing rides for RoadRunner clients through a “concierge service.” People can call RoadRunners for a ride, and the service will make the arrangements for a Lyft driver to pick them up.
“We wanted to look at alternative ways to expand what we provide to the seniors and community. We thought Lyft was a good partner for us, primarily because it is on demand,” Wilmer said.
RoadRunner charges oneway fees of $5.50 for a trip up to one mile, $7.50 for one to two miles, $10.50 for a trip of three to five miles, $16 for a trip of six to seven miles and $19 for a trip of eight to ten miles.
According to Wilmer, Lyft will bill RoadRunners for the rides, and RoadRunners will bill customers at its regular rates. Any additional chargers will be paid by the hospital.
Dan Trigub, Lyft’s healthcare partnerships West Coast lead, said the ride share company loves the arrangement with El Camino Hospital, as RoadRunners could be a bridge to seniors who might not otherwise be familiar with Lyft.
“The value we bring to El Camino Hospital is Lyft is significantly more affordable than a taxi. If a volunteer can’t work that day, then they don’t have to scramble to fill that trip,” said Trigub.
He added that Lyft is looking partnering with El Camino by bringing staff to the hospital, thus freeing up parking for patients.
“We’ll start exploring other opportunities to work with El Camino Hospital,” said Trigub.
RoadRunners pick-up and drop-off points must be within a 10-mile radius of El Camino Hospital’s Mountain View campus or within eight miles of the Los Gatos campus. The program runs between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
“We wanted to look at alternative ways to expand what we provide to the seniors and community. ” — Margaret Wilmer, senior director of integrated care at El Camino Hospital