Ride-sharing company Lyft has hired its first vice president of healthcare, Megan Callahan, the company announced last week.
Callahan previously served as chief strategy officer at Change Healthcare, and senior vice president of corporate strategy and business development at McKennon. In her new role, Callahan will lead the strategic direction and expansion of Lyft’s healthcare business.
“During this time of incredible growth, we have a unique opportunity to drive meaningful impact by reducing the healthcare transportation gap for patients, which is a key factor in improving social determinants of health and lowering costs,” Callahan said in a statement.
The move follows other major companies venturing into the healthcare space. Lyft’s healthcare business involves partnerships with healthcare systems and rides to healthcare services. During a pilot with Hitch Health, the healthcare rides helped reduce missed appointments by 27 percent.
So far, Lyft has partnered with nine healthcare systems and 10 non-emergency medical transportation brokers. The company operates healthcare rides in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Through its partnership with Anthem CareMore Health that began in 2017, Lyft added 28,000 rides “at no added cost” and decreased per-ride costs 39 percent. Roughly 7.2 million patients will have access to Lyft rides through an integration with AllScripts.
Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."