CVS Health and its private foundation, the CVS Health Foundation, today announced a new collaboration with Uber Health, Uber’s healthcare arm. The relationship will provide transportation at no cost to Atlanta-area residents who need it most when seeking medical care, work or attending an educational program.
The collaboration is part of Health Zones, CVS Health’s new initiative that provides concentrated local investments to reduce health disparities and advance health equity in high-risk communities across the country. The program works with trusted national and local partners to address the six key social determinants of health: housing, education, access to food, labor, transportation, and health care access.
In addition to Atlanta, CVS Health and Uber Health will provide free transportation to at-risk populations in Columbus, OH and Hartford, CT, with plans to expand into more cities later this year.
“Our Health Zones initiative will make a real impact on the health and well-being of the local Atlanta community,” said Eileen Howard Boone, Senior Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility & Philanthropy and Chief Sustainability Officer, CVS Health. “By working with local organizations and Uber Health, we will address key social determinants of health, including transportation, giving people in need access to health care services so they can live healthier lives and access to jobs and educational programs that can help them reach their full potential.”
In Atlanta, CVS Health and Uber Health will help eliminate a critical barrier to care and overall well-being – transportation – which can limit a person’s ability to receive medical care, to work or job train, and ultimately lead to adverse health outcomes. Rides with Uber Health will be available to a target population living in the Atlanta area through Good Samaritan Health Center, a nonprofit working to remove the barriers preventing low-income families from obtaining access to quality health care in the Atlanta area, and the Family Health Centers of Georgia, a health care services non-profit that serves low-income seniors.
“We’ve long known that access to reliable transportation can help address critical gaps in care that often disproportionately affect vulnerable communities,” said Caitlin Donovan, Global Head of Uber Health. “Uber Health is proud to be a part of CVS Health’s new Health Zones initiative and encourages community organizations to address transportation as a key social determinant of health, while improving health outcomes in a scalable way.”
Through Health Zones, CVS Health and the CVS Health Foundation have invested a total of $437,000 in five local non-profit organizations that are committed to reducing health disparities and advancing health equity in the local community. These organizations include Good Samaritan Health Center, Atlanta Community Food Bank, Open Hand Atlanta, Thanks Mom & Dad Fund and the Family Health Centers of Georgia.
“The partnership with CVS Health is amazing because for the first time, we’re able to have a provider on staff that has a schedule entirely dedicated to walk-ins,” said Heather Kersey, Chief Development Officer, Good Samaritan Health Center. “If you live in this neighborhood, you can come to us anytime, you don’t have to get an appointment, we’ll see you as soon as we can. And I think that’s going to be life changing.”
Health Zones is part of CVS Health’s overall commitment to advance health equity in America. Since 2005, CVS Health has invested $12.9 million in affordable housing in Atlanta and $185 million in affordable housing nationwide in 2021. Through these investments, CVS Health has been able to provide underserved communities with quality housing, economic support, and educational training opportunities based on the unique needs of the population.
To learn more about CVS Health’s new Health Zones initiative in Atlanta, please visit: HealthZones/Atlanta.
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