Grant to Fund Local Uber Health Program

UNC Health Southeastern has been named a 2025 recipient of a $40,000 Social Impact Mini-Grant from the North Carolina Healthcare Foundation. The grant will be used to implement an Expanding Access to Care with Uber Health program, which will address transportation challenges for medical services.

Robeson County faces persistent transportation barriers that impact access to care, particularly for low-income, elderly, and rural residents, which creates challenges related to travel to and from medical appointments and wellness screenings.

“A transportation grant can have a significant impact on a rural community, providing reliable transportation to medical appointments, which will assist with reducing missed appointments and obtaining the necessary medical care,” said UNC Health Southeastern Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Lori Dove.

The project will utilize the Uber Health platform to create a free transportation system that enables patients of UNC Health Southeastern and affiliated clinics to access essential healthcare services.

Utilizing the existing Uber technology and infrastructure, the program will coordinate transportation for patients, reducing no-show rates and improving continuity of care. The initiative will partner with UNC Health Physicians Network (UNCPN) and engage frontline staff and patients in the implementation of the program.

Uber Health is a HIPAA-secure transportation solution that enables care coordinators to arrange rides for patients using the Uber network, even for those without smartphones or the Uber app. Trip details are communicated via SMS or landline calls, and multilingual support is available. Rides can be scheduled in advance or requested on-demand.

Within UNC Health Southeastern’s medical center, Uber Health will be integrated into the inpatient discharge process to reduce delays caused by lack of transportation.