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#Idea - BL-Uber - A way to reduce hospital readmissions



How Uber describes itself: Uber is evolving the way the world moves. By seamlessly connecting riders to drivers through our apps, we make cities more accessible, opening up more possibilities for riders and more business for drivers.

The BSC analogy: BLU-ber is evolving the way the healthcare is delivered. By seamlessly connecting patients to healthcare providers through our apps, we make timely healthcare more accessible, resulting in better outcomes for patients and more business and satisfaction for health care professionals while driving down cost of healthcare.

One dimension: Hospital readmissions are a big contributor of ‘cost of healthcare’. Due to sheer volume and geographical limitations, maintaining medical staff to conduct ‘home visits’ or ‘interventions’ for all discharged patients who have high probability of readmission may not be possible.

Solution: Using data and technology, seamlessly connect (qualified and certified) healthcare professionals with discharged patients having high probability of readmission to conduct ‘home visit’.
  • Create a list of credentialed health care professionals (doctors, registered nurses, care givers) who meet our quality criteria for care delivery and who are willing to take up ‘healthcare outreach assignments'.
  • Based on hospital discharge data create a prioritized list of patients who have a high probability of hospital readmissions (I know that we are already working on this).
  • In real time, publish this list of patients to the BL-Uber app along with our expectations from a healthcare provider (timelines, care related expectations) and zip code of the patient location. (Reimbursement for services can either be decided by BSC, or we can ask people to bid / suggest their expected reimbursement)
  • Credentialed health care professionals (identified in step 1) will review published list of patients and determine if they want ‘show interest’ in any of the listed assignments.
  • In real time, review ‘interests’ and assign patients to healthcare providers. Disclose patient details and contact number.
  • It is responsibility of the healthcare professional to reach out to the assigned patient and arrange for an appointment / intervention.
  • If patient agrees, healthcare professional carries out the intervention and provides feedback.

Summary:  There are countless details and additional dimensions to address. But if we solve those challenges, we facilitate health care worthy of our family and friends. 


Here is a blog I wrote about Health Insurance and Technology that narrates origins of this idea.
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