One of the world’s largest ridesharing companies has decided to take its first steps into the blockchain realm. Uber Health – a subsidiary of Uber – has teamed up with Solve.Care to make it easier for patients to gain access to reliable, low cost transportation to medical appointments. All journeys will be recorded on the Ethereum blockchain and passengers will also be able to pay for the ride using any ERC-20 based token.
Completing the Blockchain Ecosystem
Currently, thousands of medical practices use the Solve.Care platform that is powered by blockchain technology to manage everything from patient records to payments to healthcare providers. By teaming up with Uber Health, healthcare professionals will be able to book a low-cost and reliable Uber for the patient when making the appointment. The patient will get a notification when the booking is made, as well as when the Uber is there to pick them up. This partnership helps to complete the healthcare ecosystem thanks to blockchain technology.
Blockchain Helping Supply Chains
The healthcare ecosystem is very similar to a supply chain in the sense that there are many moving parts, numerous departments that need to liaise with one another and a product that needs to get from a to b as safely as possible – the patient. IBM has been hard at work to use the same blockchain technology to rid the world of fake medicines. During the supply chain, genuine medicines are often stolen and replaced with fake products, allowing the thieves to sell on the stolen merchandise for a tidy profit. This means the end users of the medicine aren’t getting the correct medicine and it can be potentially dangerous. Thanks to blockchain technology, these dangers are being eradicated and patients are getting the meds they need.
Saving Billions
Currently, more than 3.6 million Americans miss their medical appointments due to poor public transport links or unreliable transport methods. This costs the industry around $150 billion annually – a massive figure that could be cut down thanks to this partnership. Just like other blockchain solutions, this partnership between healthcare provider platform and Uber Health will smooth out the pain points of the industry and help companies save billions in missed appointments.
For now, the new service will be rolling out in America, but as the initiative takes off, we could see it roll out around the globe with other ridesharing platforms signing up.
