Ridesharing company Uber is making a bigger investment into healthcare with plans to expand its prescription medications delivery service.
The company’s healthcare business arm Uber Health announced on a blog Wednesday that it is scaling up its prescription delivery service that started last August to make it available to pharmacies across 37 states through a new partnership with software platform ScriptDrop, an interface that helps pharmacies connect with couriers.
Pharmacies already signed up with ScriptDrop, which include giant chains Jewel Osco, Safeway and Albertsons, will be able to have medications delivered to customers using Uber food delivery app, Uber Eats.
“This past year has shown us now more than ever that pharmacies need more effective ways to get patients the prescriptions they need,” said Amanda Epp, CEO of ScriptDrop. “Being able to combine ScriptDrop’s integrated interface with Uber’s technology means that pharmacies of all sizes will be better equipped to improve prescription adherence and serve the most vulnerable of their communities.”
The move marks Uber’s latest investment into healthcare, which began in 2018 when the company launched its non-emergency ride service for healthcare providers to schedule rides for patients.
Uber’s expansion into prescription delivery follows similar moves made by several big tech companies over the past year as demand for such services have surged during the pandemic.
Mail-order prescriptions increased by 21% during the last week of March 2020 compared to the same period a year prior, according to the Wall Street Journal in May.
Last November, Amazon launched its online pharmacy service, while food delivery app DoorDash announced last October it was partnering with Sam’s Club to deliver prescriptions to the retail giant’s customers.