Can I Use Uber for a 2-Hour ER Trip? All You Need to Know

It has become a norm for Americans to take an ambulance trip to the ER. However, recently there’s a new trend whereby sick people opt to order an Uber in case of an emergency. Many Uber drivers can attest to having dropped someone off at the ER at some point.

Will Uber Drive Me for 2 Hours to the ER?

Yes, you can use Uber for a two-hour drive to the ER if the driver agrees to make the trip. However, taking the journey is a risk as the driver has no medical knowledge of how to save your life in an emergency. Patients going for dialysis and chemo appointments and elderly or persons living with disabilities having routine hospital visits can take the two-hour Uber trip to the ER.

Annual ER visits are estimated at 124 million per annum. Typical ER visits are due to chest pains, sprains, broken bones, upper respiratory infections, abdominal pains, contusions, toothaches, cuts, back pains, skin infections, labor, and headaches.

Advantages of Taking a 2-Hour Uber Trip to the ER

Here are several reasons why people are hailing for an Uber to the ER:

Affordability

Ambulance rides aren’t under the No Surprises Act, meaning you get no reduction on your medical bill. Without insurance coverage, an ambulance ride costs approximately $1200-$1500. Factors that result in the final prices of an ambulance ride include the following:

• Basic life support services
• Advanced life support services
• Mileage charges

You enter your pick-up location and destination, and the Uber App estimates how much the ride will cost you. Uber rates are affordable, and the prices are affected by base rate, operating fee time, and area. The rates are much lower in comparison to taking an ambulance.

In addition, patients undergoing dialysis and chemo or people living with disabilities and the elderly have routine appointments to see the doctors. The overall cost of taking an Uber ride is cheaper than using an ambulance.

Availability

Getting an Uber is easy, so people prefer it to an ambulance. An ambulance can take longer to reach you, especially when there is traffic. The Uber you need is just around the corner or five minutes away.

Personal Choice of Hospital

Private companies, hospitals, and local governments offer ambulance services. In an emergency, the closest available ambulance is dispatched to your location. The ambulance takes you to the nearest hospital instead of the patient’s provider. On the other hand, Uber services will drop you off at the destination of your choice, making it a better option.

Convenience

Uber is convenient regarding cost, availability, and the fact that you are taken to your chosen ER. Plus, you can take the ride with the company of your choice to your destination, and it won’t cost you extra.

Set-Backs of Taking a 2-Hour Uber Trip to the ER

Some of the disadvantages of taking a two-hour Uber trip to the ER include the following:

Driver’s Liability

Some drivers don’t mind going to the emergency room, while others turn down an emergency ride. The reason is that the driver might get stuck with a dead body in their car or vomit and blood on the car seats.

In addition, an Uber driver lacks permission to speed like an ambulance on the road in emergencies. The blame falls on the driver if anything goes wrong during the trip.

Uber Lacks Wheelchair Transportation

Persons who rely on wheelchairs for movement will have some trouble while using Uber. Uber vehicles can’t accommodate your needs which might be a challenge.

Uber Only Offers Curb-To-Curb Delivery

Curb-to-curb service is whereby the driver exits the vehicle and offers assistance for at least 15 feet from the car. The Uber driver won’t walk or pick you up from the doctor’s office. The driver also lacks the certification to properly handle persons with disability, the elderly, and those with terminal illnesses.

In addition, Uber will not wait for your appointment for you to get a ride back. You will have to reschedule a return ride.

Driver’s Lack of Medical Training

When faced with a medical emergency while on the road, there are higher chances of you dying as your driver isn’t skilled to offer assistance. Uber drivers lack the knowledge to deal with a medical emergency. The drivers have no training in working with people with disabilities or the elderly and people going for chemo and dialysis.

Lack of Insurance Coverage

Uber can’t be paid for by insurance. You will have to pay the costs incurred during the ride to the emergency room for your pocket.

What Are the Emergency Departments’ Take on Uber Rides to the ER?

Some emergency rooms are open to receiving visitors who come on Uber. Doctors are more concerned about the patients getting to the ER than how they get there. In addition, less critical patients taking an Uber ride to the ER free up ambulance services for those who need it the most.

Those qualified to take the two-hour non-emergency trip to the ER are patients undergoing dialysis and chemo, persons with disabilities with medical appointments, or scheduled visits by elderly persons to and from nursing homes.

Contact Us Today

Around the Sound is the ideal medical transportation service to contact. We offer transportation services for short and long distances depending on where you need to go. We are not limited to hospital appointments. Our drivers can take you to weddings, special events, outings, proms, and sporting events. Not only do we have a fleet of vehicles with wheelchair accessibility to suit your needs, but we can also provide airport transportation.

Make an appointment with Around the Sound for comfortable medical transportation to your next doctor’s visit. Call us at (253) 858-7088 and schedule a ride.

Categorised in: blog, Medical Transportation

This post was written by Writer