Uber enters the pharmaceutical delivery arena with new service

Rideshare company Uber is the newest player in the growing list of companies moving into the pharmaceutical drug business with the announcement this week that its healthcare business, Uber Health, is now offering same-day delivery of prescription medications.  

The announcement comes just a few months after Amazon further expanded its reach into the business of pharmaceutical sales with the launch of RxPass, which provides a range of prescription drugs for a monthly fee. 

Uber’s new venture aims to capture customers who already use the rideshare service to get to their doctor or medical provider. “Today’s news furthers Uber Health’s mission to optimize how patients access care. The platform allows connectivity to the key services providers require to address patient needs including prescription delivery, stress-free rides, and soon, the delivery of healthy food and over-the-counter medicine for those who need it most—including Medicare Advantage and Medicaid beneficiaries,” the company announced.  

Uber Health launched in 2018 with the goal of getting patients, particularly those in underserved communities, to and from their non-emergency medical appointments. Calling the rideshare service “only one piece of the patient care puzzle,” Uber said the prescription delivery service, which is made possible through its partnership with prescription medication service ScriptDrop, closes the loop for medical providers.  

The new service enables the patient’s healthcare provider to arrange the prescription and transportation services and track them throughout the process. “At Uber Health, we are building solutions that address lessons we’ve learned from years at healthcare companies operating in value-based care contracts. Too much time has been spent ensuring patients had a ride to their follow-up appointment, had picked up the right prescriptions, or had access to food,” said Caitlin Donovan, global head of Uber Health, in a statement. "From prescription delivery and NEMT today to healthy food and grocery delivery in the coming months, Uber Health remains committed to delivering a more-connected care journey through a single, seamless platform.” 

The delivery program can be offered through any pharmacy registered with the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs and within the Uber delivery coverage area. “We are excited to expand our preexisting Uber relationship and work alongside the innovative healthcare arm of Uber Health,” said Amanda Epp, ScriptDrop CEO, in a statement. “Our two companies both strive to make healthcare more accessible to patients, no matter where they live. For that reason, we believed it was important to share our network with Uber Health and increase our collective impact.” 

Uber Health noted that it provides service for over 3,000 health care entities, including Boston Medical Care Center and ModivCare, which facilitates non-emergency medical transportation and other services to patients. 

The new program also is made possible through a partnership with the technology platform, Patient Engagement Advisors, which gives health care providers the tools to better track patient care through the process. “At Patient Engagement Advisors, we recognize that each patient has specific needs and unique requirements spanning follow-up appointments and referrals, medications, nutrition and a number of social determinants of health topics such as affordability and transportation,” said Jeff Moreland, Patient Engagement Advisors CEO, in a statement. “Uber Health is a strategic component of our global integration strategy, consolidating logistics delivery and community resources into one unified approach. We are thrilled to integrate new tools into our IT stack and workflows, allowing our onsite and remote teams to further automate scheduled rides and medication delivery.”  

The rideshare company faces competition in the field from online retail companies such as Amazon, which recently expanded its own prescription drug service, Amazon Pharmacy, with a new program that automatically applies any available coupons to prescription drug orders.  

The launch of Coupons on Amazon Pharmacy is the latest extension of the company’s prescription drug delivery service that was started in 2020 and offers savings to patients who are purchasing drugs without insurance.