Roundtrip’s Response to COVID-19

Roundtrip Team
covid 19

As our company responds to COVID-19, the health and safety of our employees and customers remains our top priority. The work we do is critical to thousands of people and the healthcare system, and we are committed to being there when our passengers and Roundtrip users need us most.

We will be making updates here for the latest Roundtrip news as it pertains to COVID-19.

At Roundtrip:
  • Our employees are following applicable state and local guidance, including remaining at home and maintaining a safe distance from others if they do not feel well. For in-person team collaboration, proof of full vaccination is required. For client visits, proof of full vaccination and a negative COVID test within 3 day is required.
  • We respect that our clients are experiencing an incredibly challenging and stressful event, and there is also a focus on patient care and ensuring that patients can still receive the care they need. We’ll continue to monitor CDC and client-imposed COVID-19 guidelines, and we’re here to support care coordinators as they face any transportation-related challenges.
UPDATE: April 20, 2022
  • Masks may no longer be required, but CDC still recommends wearing them. Please be respectful of someone’s preference to still wear a mask.
  • Masks may still be required by law in some areas. Please check your local regulations and transportation policy.
UPDATE: August 13, 2021
  • Roundtrip is aware that there are still Americans not fully vaccinated, and a major barrier to receiving the vaccine is transportation. To address this problem, we want to resurface our Vaccine Access Program.
  • The Roundtrip Vaccine Access Program includes the following: 
    • Rapid 2–4 week implementation and onboarding 
    • Direct integration to rideshare services 
    • Supporting network of medical sedan, taxi, and wheelchair van providers  
    • SMS text messages to riders to confirm ride details and second dose reminders 
    • Ability to view and export all ride data for state/local vaccine coordination teams 
UPDATE: February 25, 2021
  • Roundtrip has launched a Vaccine Access Program that helps healthcare professionals coordinate rides to and from vaccination sites for members of low-income and at-risk communities. 
  • “It’s important that these communities have the option of safe and reliable transportation to access the vaccine. We are here to help in any way we can to get our communities vaccinated and eliminate the health inequities that we see – and the media reports on – almost daily” says Roundtrip CEO Mark Switaj 
UPDATE: June 18, 2020
  • Roundtrip added specific COVID negative and COVID positive / presumptive trip reasons in our Roundtrip Booking Portal. Here are details when to use each trip reason:
    • COVID Negative Trip Reason: Only use this trip reason when a rider has actually tested negative for COVID and can safely be transported via any vehicle type, including rideshare. For example, use this trip reason for a discharge where the patient is confirmed to be COVID negative.
    • COVID Positive / Presumptive Trip Reason: Use this trip reason when the rider is confirmed to be COVID positive or experiencing COVID symptoms. For example, use this trip reason for a discharge where the patient has tested positive but is being sent home. Rideshare cannot be used to transport this ride, so an appropriate vehicle type must be selected.
UPDATE: June 16, 2020
  • Roundtrip informed users that we have updated our internal process in the instance that a rideshare driver is not found. If no rideshare is available after 15 minutes of searching for a driver, then Roundtrip’s 24/7 Navigation Center will automatically change the ride to a Taxi / Medical Sedan. To avoid any delay in transport, we encourage users to initially book a Taxi / Medical Sedan if they feel rideshare availability could be limited at the requested ride time.
UPDATE: May 14, 2020
  • Uber announced that starting on May 18, drivers will need to confirm with a new Go Online Checklist that they have taken certain safety measures and are wearing a face cover. Uber has also built a similar checklist for riders to confirm they have taken precautions, including wearing a face cover and sanitizing their hands. Riders must also agree to sit in the back seat and open windows for ventilation.
UPDATE: May 11, 2020
  • Lyft announced that it will be launching a new Health Safety Program. On June 1, Lyft will require all drivers and riders to wear a face cover, not ride or drive with Lyft if they have or think they have COVID-19, keep vehicles clean and sanitize their hands frequently, leave windows open when possible, and passengers will not ride in the front seat.
UPDATE: April 20, 2020
  • We are receiving engagement from behavioral health and social services organizations where they need to move patients regardless of COVID-19
  • We are exploring how FEMA may reimburse payment for hospitals.
  • In some rare instances, we are seeing creative uses of our platform specifically for transporting supplies and groceries. This has sparked internal discussions on how we can adapt to create value during this new normal.
UPDATE: March 30, 2020
Transportation Providers
  • All transportation companies are following the recommended CDC guidance.
  • Although this is subject to change, the current recommendation is that any patient who falls within one of the following categories listed below must utilize an ambulance for transportation services. All three of these patient types are considered “isolation precautions” and a PCS (Physician Medical Necessity) must be completed:
    • Confirmed: The patient meets all the criteria necessary to be considered a Patient Under Investigation (PUI), including signs, symptoms and travel history. A lab sample was collected and tested by a CDC-qualified laboratory and the result is positive.
    • Suspected: The patient meets all the criteria necessary to be considered a Patient Under Investigation (PUI), including signs, symptoms and travel history. A lab sample was collected and sent to a CDC-qualified lab, but the results are still pending.
    • Exposed: The person meets the criteria established by the CDC with regards to travel history and/or close contact with a confirmed case, but the individual is not exhibiting any additional signs or symptoms consistent with infection.
  • Transportation providers will continue to follow their normal billing practices. If health systems submit claims to the insurance carriers using the Isolation ICD-10 code along with the supplemental PCS, these claims should follow the current process by Medicare / Medicaid.
    • Health systems may be able to receive FEMA dollars to pay for these ordered transportation services. Meaning, if  “facility” is elected as the payor for the Roundtrip ride, they may be able to use FEMA funds to pay the transportation providers.
  • Lyft and Uber have launched pages to provide up-to-date information about their respective companies’ approaches.
Transporting Clinicians
  • You can use Roundtrip to coordinate rides for clinicians to safely and efficiently get your staff to your facility. Health systems want to show gratitude to their employees, especially right now, and help get their staff to facilities and additional care sites without public transportation. We have already seen a hospital book over 50 rides for its staff.
  • For more ways you can use Roundtrip to help during COVID-19, refer to this blog post.
UPDATE: March 27, 2020
Roundtrip has added ‘COVID-19’ as a Trip Reason 
  • Users have been instructed to use this Trip Reason for any passenger diagnosed or suspected to have COVID-19.
  • Per the CDC, users have been instructed to request non-rideshare vehicle types for their ride request if the passenger has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or suspected to have it.
UPDATE: March 23, 2020
Changing facility entrances or Adding Alternative Care Sites
  • We are seeing healthcare facilities mobilize additional care sites to handle outpatient or routine care. Reach out to Roundtrip to update your pickup and drop off locations.
  • Please refer to Venue Mapping instructions here and send the Facility Location document to Roundtrip to update your facility’s venue mapping.
Roundtrip can help your facility maintain efficiency at this critical time
  • Refer to Center for Medicare & Medicaid Service (CMS) for their latest news and program updates. Medicare has waived the 3-day hospital stay criteria to qualify for part B coverage in a nursing facility, which means hospitals can discharge non-coronavirus patients to homes or nursing homes to open up space at their facility. Roundtrip can help you get these patients home.
 Remember to cancel any rides that are no longer needed

For any questions or concerns, please reach out to your Roundtrip Client Success contact at clientsuccess@roundtriphealth.com

On behalf of the entire Roundtrip team, we’re here for you.