Feeling sick? Take an Uber!

[Tony64]

Another benefit of ride share seems to be a reduction in needless ambulance trips and associated costs...

https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost....tal-trips/amp/

[BristolCavendish]

Timely response + close driving proximity to Urgent Care/ER + reasonable pricing would make this option a viable alternative. Especially helpful for non-driving seniors and the incapacitated.

[Abdullah71601]

People are nuts sometimes. Rather than call an ambulance and have trained medical personnel at hand, you’ll have some dude take you and hope you live through it.

No hospital I have been to would release a medicated person to an Uber.

[Tony64]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

People are nuts sometimes. Rather than call an ambulance and have trained medical personnel at hand, you’ll have some dude take you and hope you live through it.

No hospital I have been to would release a medicated person to an Uber.

Ok, consider the following. Suppose you're a generally healthy, independent individual who develops some sort of intestinal illness one evening (likely from consuming excessive quantities of undercooked eel) that, while not fully incapacitating, probably shouldn't wait for regular office hours.

You contact your friend who'd be more than happy drive you to the ER, but unfortunately he's out shopping for mismatched stilettos and can't be reached.

As I see it you've now got two options. Call 9-1-1 with resulting added expense and potential diversion of first responder resources, or call an Uber driver who will get you to the ER before the eel makes it to your large intestine.

Point being that they're emergencies that require a visit from a first responder, and emergencies that require a trip to the ER. They're not always the same thing. When a ER visit is required, but for whatever reason you just can't drive yourself, Uber seems like a cost effective and reasonable alternative.

[Tony64]

Originally Posted by BristolCavendish

Timely response + close driving proximity to Urgent Care/ER + reasonable pricing would make this option a viable alternative. Especially helpful for non-driving seniors and the incapacitated.

Exactly.

Woman having contractions and hubby not around? Friends not available? Call 911?


Seems like job for Uber...

https://nypost.com/2017/07/26/uber-g...g-baby-in-car/

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by Tony64

Ok, consider the following. Suppose you're a generally healthy, independent individual who develops some sort of intestinal illness one evening (likely from consuming excessive quantities of undercooked eel) that, while not fully incapacitating, probably shouldn't wait for regular office hours.

You contact your friend who'd be more than happy drive you to the ER, but unfortunately he's out shopping for mismatched stilettos and can't be reached.

As I see it you've now got two options. Call 9-1-1 with resulting added expense and potential diversion of first responder resources, or call an Uber driver who will get you to the ER before the eel makes it to your large intestine.

Point being that they're emergencies that require a visit from a first responder, and emergencies that require a trip to the ER. They're not always the same thing. When a ER visit is required, but for whatever reason you just can't drive yourself, Uber seems like a cost effective and reasonable alternative.

People don't call an ambulance when their tummy hurts. If they felt good enough to take a cab, they have always taken a cab. How many babies have been born in taxi’s because momma guessed wrong on the contractions?

[BristolCavendish]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

People don't call an ambulance when their tummy hurts. If they felt good enough to take a cab, they have always taken a cab. How many babies have been born in taxi’s because momma guessed wrong on the contractions?

A burst appendix + accompanying fever might be an exception. People have been known to utilize the services of an ambulance under those conditions.

[mmutte]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

People don't call an ambulance when their tummy hurts. If they felt good enough to take a cab, they have always taken a cab. How many babies have been born in taxi’s because momma guessed wrong on the contractions?

Have you worked as a medic on an ambulance before?

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by mmutte

Have you worked as a medic on an ambulance before?

I’ve ridden on a number of them. I needed the medic each time. Uber probably wouldn’t have been survable.

[mmutte]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

I’ve ridden on a number of them. I needed the medic each time. Uber probably wouldn’t have been survable.

Having worked as a medic for several years (and currently as a physician), I can assure you the overwhelming majority of people who call an ambulance for transportation to the ER, do not need it. Happens all the time.
I’ve transported a woman to the ER for symptoms of a UTI bc she called 911.
Along the same lines, a large portion of people who present to the ER, do not need to be there for medical care—it’s just part of the large problem faced in US health care (but that’s a topic for another time, I digress)

[Tony64]

Originally Posted by mmutte

Having worked as a medic for several years (and currently as a physician), I can assure you the overwhelming majority of people who call an ambulance for transportation to the ER, do not need it. Happens all the time.
I’ve transported a woman to the ER for symptoms of a UTI bc she called 911.
Along the same lines, a large portion of people who present to the ER, do not need to be there for medical care—it’s just part of the large problem faced in US health care (but that’s a topic for another time, I digress)

Thanks Matt, always good to get a perspective from someone who's been there.

Maybe Uber is making a small dent in the crisis, at least with transport costs.