Aug. 1 (UPI) — A Seattle hospital is utilizing Lyft, a rideshare service, to address a common challenge faced by patients who require a colonoscopy: finding transportation home after the procedure.
In a collaborative pilot study conducted by the University of Washington School of Medicine and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, researchers found that providing transportation removed a major barrier to colonoscopy for many patients who would have otherwise avoided the procedure or follow-up appointments.
“Rideshare, given its widespread use, proved to be an effective solution,” said Dr. Rachel Issaka, the director of the UW Medicine/Fred Hutch Population Health Colorectal Cancer Screening Program, in a recent interview with UPI.
They have implemented the Lyft Concierge platform, which allows organizations to schedule and pay for rides on behalf of patients. The study received funding from the National Cancer Institute, a division of the National Institutes of Health.
“The healthcare organization scheduled the rides and had the ability to track patients through the platform until they arrived at their destination,” added Issaka.
The program is now exploring the expansion of its services to facilitate transportation for lung cancer screenings (bronchoscopy) and other examinations that require sedation.
On average, the rides cost between $20 and $25. The researchers are interested in analyzing data that would encourage insurance companies to cover the cost of these rides, according to Issaka.
Transportation has consistently been cited as one of the primary barriers to undergoing a colonoscopy, a crucial procedure for early detection of colorectal cancer.
In March, the American Cancer Society reported a significant increase in colon cancer cases among individuals under the age of 55 compared to 25 years ago. This year alone, over 153,000 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer, resulting in 52,550 deaths from the disease.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends regular colorectal cancer screenings for adults between the ages of 45 and 75.
While colorectal cancer is highly preventable, Issaka notes that one in three individuals who are due for screening fail to complete it. Improving screening processes and follow-up on non-invasive tests will contribute to detecting cancer at earlier stages when it is more manageable to treat.
Dr. Uri Ladabaum, the director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Prevention Program at Stanford University School of Medicine, acknowledges that the lack of transportation or a chaperone has long been a hindrance to colonoscopy procedures.
“Health systems need to approach this issue holistically, as it particularly affects underserved communities where individuals face socioeconomic constraints,” said Ladabaum, who was not involved in the study.
Dr. Rajesh Keswani, from the Digestive Health Center at Northwestern Medicine, acknowledges the transportation problem faced by patients whose friends and family members are unavailable during the day to provide a ride. However, he raises concerns regarding liability when utilizing rideshare services.
“Prior to the pilot study, there were concerns about whether patients would safely return home after receiving sedation. However, all patients are closely monitored and released only when it is medically appropriate. To date, all patient participants have safely arrived home,” said Ari Bell-Brown, a research program manager at Fred Hutchinson.
Patients who have used the service, recruited from Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, have reported benefits such as short wait times, convenience, and the absence of additional costs, according to an abstract of the rideshare study published in the journal Gastroenterology.
The program continues to recruit participants through the clinical team responsible for screening patients, ensuring that they have a chaperone or transportation arranged prior to scheduling a colonoscopy.
Yale New Haven Health has also found that colonoscopy procedures become more accessible to patients when transportation is facilitated. The healthcare provider collaborates with Uber Health, M7, Veyo, and Curtain Livery to offer transportation options, according to Lori Ryder, the executive director of nursing in digestive health at Yale New Haven Health.
“Once a patient is in our system and scheduled for their procedure, we discuss transportation with the patient. If the patient expresses concern, we help facilitate transportation options,” Ryder said.
Leslie Bresowsky, a New York-based accountant who resides in Brooklyn and works in Manhattan, has used visiting nurse services twice to pick him up after a colonoscopy. The cost was $120 a year ago.
“If you need someone to sign you out, then you need the service. Skipping this test is not advisable,” Bresowsky said.
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