Patient care starts and ends with a ride — getting to the doctor just got easier

NextGenVP
NextGenVP
Jul 25, 2017 · 2 min read

In our conversation with Circulation founder and CEO Robin Heffernan, we learned how the partnership with Uber started with in-app feedback after a ride. Listen to the podcast on Soundcloud or iTunes.

NextGen’s growing network is made up of operators with decades of experience. Our Venture Partners’ domain expertise is an invaluable resource to the investment team. In addition to participating in investment committees, our Venture Partners bring our attention to industry trends and market opportunities that may otherwise be overlooked.

Non-Emergency Medical Transport (NEMT) is typically known as a benefit for Medicaid beneficiaries who need to get to and from medical services but have no means of transportation. States sign multi-year contracts with brokers such as Logisticare or MTM, which coordinate these rides. At first glance, NEMT companies don’t appear to be candidates for venture funding.

When a few Venture Partners introduced us to founders disrupting the NEMT space, we decided to learn more about the industry.

We heard about the pain experienced by patients who miss important medical appointments due to transportation issues. This creates an administrative burden on the staff, which has to shuffle around resources and reschedule the patient. These missed appointments can cause preventable complications for the patient and lead to costly procedures for insurers down the road.

Each stakeholder — the patient, the provider, and the payer — have a vested interest in solving this problem.

In the age of ridesharing, it seems impossible that this problem would persist. However, the healthcare industry and the diverse patient base it serves present unique challenges that consumer-first companies have difficulty tackling holistically.

When we met Robin and the Circulation team, we knew their extensive backgrounds in healthcare and partnership with Uber put them in a position to bridge this gap. Circulation launched in 2016 and already supports over 700 health facilities in 25 states. With its current customer base, Circulation will quickly scale to provide millions of rides.

The company is starting with patient logistics — and it will soon add more products and services in order to become a comprehensive solution for care coordination and logistics. We’re excited to be partnering with Circulation as they make healthcare more accessible and lower the overall cost of care with reliable transportation.

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NextGenVP

NextGen is an early-stage tech VC firm. We power our portfolio through hundreds of Venture Partners across the country.

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