Caitlin Donovan,
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Global head, Uber Health
As a working mother of two young boys, Caitlin Donovan said she understands the value of having family nearby to help shuttle kids to appointments and activities. She also knows others aren’t so fortunate.
Donovan brought that insight to ride-share company Uber in 2021 when she became the global head of Uber Health. The unit provides non-emergency transportation that healthcare providers can schedule for patients. Donovan, however, saw the potential for Uber Health to do much more. Under her leadership, the unit started delivering groceries, prescriptions and other over-the-counter items to patients last year.
Although adding the services was an obvious extension for Uber Health, Donovan said challenges still remained.
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See which young healthcare leaders made list“Our initial challenge was to build a product that met the basic requirements of operating in healthcare while retaining the Uber magic,” Donovan said. “I am proud to say we have done that—and the results show.”
In 2023, Uber Health’s gross bookings nearly doubled from the previous year and its customer base has grown to more than 3,000 organizations, Donovan said.
She now is laser-focused on getting clients to not only offer Uber Health as a benefit, but to also think about how the company’s offerings can become part of a patient’s overall care plan.
“Our data suggests that incorporating these options into a care plan can not only improve the patient experience, but also help with adherence and drive positive clinical results,” Donovan said.
—Diane Eastabrook