Innovative Collaboration: Ride-Share Drivers and ER Medical Professionals Construct a Healthcare Air Traffic Control System to Improve Emergency Response Efficiency

Sage Care founders (left to right) Chris Blumenberg, Caesar Djavaherian and Justin Ho

Sage Care

Startup Sage Care is coming out of stealth with $20 million in funding and customers that include Bronson Healthcare and White Plains Hospital.

Justin Ho knows a lot about navigation. He’s quarterbacked Uber’s self-driving and mapping strategy and built dispatch and routing software at rideOS wrangling issues like scheduling, intelligent dispatch and pricing. Now he’s bringing his mapping acumen to bear on a new challenge: making it easier to navigate the rat’s maze that is healthcare appointments. With Chris Blumenberg, coinventor of the iPhone and his cofounder at rideOS, and Dr. Caesar Djavaherian, cofounder of Carbon Health, Ho has launched Sage Care to help patients and healthcare systems deal with navigation mess.

Broadly, healthcare navigation covers all routing, referrals, appointment booking and messaging involved in getting the right patient to the right doctor at the right time. That might sound rudimentary, but it’s not. If you’re discharged from the ER with orders to see a cardiologist in three days but can’t get an appointment for six months, for example, that’s a problem for both you and the health system whose ER you might wind back up in.

“Prior to the advent of Uber, if you wanted transportation you needed to call a central system and they would find the taxi closest to you and assign that one,” Ho, the company’s CEO, told Forbes. “That’s the state of healthcare today.”

Making that system more efficient and saving costs for cash-strapped health systems is where Ho and his cofounders see a significant opportunity. Their Palo Alto, California-based startup, Sage Care, is now emerging from stealth with $20 million in funding at a valuation of some $90 million, including a recent $12 million round led by Reed Jobs’ Yosemite plus previously unannounced seed funding from General Catalyst. The company has already lined up customers that include Jiva Health, a multi-specialty medical clinic in California; Bronson Healthcare, a large health system in Michigan, and White Plains Hospital in New York. It expects a small amount of revenue this year with perhaps $5 million in 2026.

There are lots of startups using AI and technology to address different pieces of healthcare administration, which accounts for an estimated 15% to 30% of all medical spending. Others using AI chatbots to handle calls include Assort Health, which made the cut for this year’s Forbes Next Billion-Dollar Startups list, and Hello Patient. “We looked at a number of companies doing a healthcare voice AI,” said Yosemite’s Matt Bettonville, who leads the firm’s investments in digital health. “A lot of those were saying, ‘We’ll take those legacy robocalls and modernize them with technology.’ This was the first team to come in and say, ‘We will reinvent the whole process.’”

“Why is there so much waste and capacity when there are patients waiting for months to be seen? It’s a massive problem for the health system.”

Dr. Caesar Djavaherian, cofounder and chief medical officer, Sage Care

Back in January 2024, Ho, 38, and Blumenberg, 47, started quietly discussing what their next entrepreneurial venture might be. They considered an assortment of ideas, among them building humanoid robots to take care of the elderly and making a better clinical search engine. Things moved quickly after they met Djavaherian, 51, an emergency doctor and former chief clinical innovation officer at digital health startup Carbon Health. He joined as cofounder and chief medical officer that August. “As soon as he met us, he had already pattern-matched our backgrounds with how broken care navigation is in healthcare,” Ho said.

Anyone who’s ever struggled to make an appointment with a new doctor or specialist knows how hard it can be to find the right person and get an appointment when wait lists are often filled for months. For hospitals and health systems, the flip side of this is that too many people end up as no-shows or at an appointment with the wrong doctor or without the right prep and have to be rebooked. “There are lots of inefficiencies in the system,” Djavaherian said, ticking off issues like last-minute cancellations that aren’t filled and clinic rooms that sit unused for hours. “Why is there so much waste and capacity when there are patients waiting for months to be seen? … It’s a massive problem for the health system.”

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Djavaherian had been describing this problem for months to the two other founders when Ho experienced the problem first-hand. When his daughter Gracie was born she needed treatment for jaundice, which included being readmitted to the hospital three times for blue light therapy. “We were matched with the wrong specialists and given bad guidance. We had problems finding the right pediatrician and getting on their schedule,” Ho said. “I spent the first three weeks of my paternity leave on the phone.”

Last winter, as they focused on the problem, they started a grand tour of hospitals and health systems across America, asking open-ended questions about how technology might solve their problems. “Our intention was not to start another routing-and-matching company, but after talking to 57 health systems we realized we could help a lot of people if we built an air-traffic control system for healthcare that would leverage our domain expertise,” Ho said. Without technology, call center operators “cannot possibly make the best decision,” said Blumenberg, the company’s chief technology officer. “There’s too many patients and too many providers, and they are on the phone with a patient and under pressure.”

Eventually, Ho said, Sage’s technology should be able to help health systems cut through the administrative waste to generate 15% to 20% more revenue, while improving care for patients. “That’s the hope of deploying our platform,” he said. “That’s helpful now because health systems are feeling a lot of pressure from the budget cuts.”

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How does teh integration of ride-share drivers into the emergency response system address the limitations of conventional 911 dispatch?

The Convergence of Two Worlds: Addressing Emergency Response Gaps

The efficiency of emergency medical services (EMS) is often hampered by logistical challenges – getting the right resources to the right location fast. Traditional 911 systems,while vital,can face delays due to dispatch bottlenecks,traffic congestion,and a lack of real-time situational awareness. A groundbreaking solution is emerging, born from an unlikely partnership: ride-share drivers and emergency room (ER) medical professionals. This collaboration is building what’s effectively a “healthcare air traffic control system,” leveraging existing infrastructure and a distributed network to dramatically improve emergency response times and outcomes. This innovative approach focuses on prehospital care, emergency medical dispatch, and real-time resource allocation.

How the system Works: A Layered Approach

This isn’t about replacing ambulances; it’s about augmenting them and bridging critical gaps in the response chain. The system operates on several key layers:

* Driver Network Integration: Ride-share drivers, vetted and trained in basic first aid, CPR, and the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs), are integrated into a secure, HIPAA-compliant platform. This platform isn’t about offering rides; it’s about providing immediate assistance while professional help is en route.

* Real-Time Location & incident Reporting: When a 911 call comes in, the system identifies nearby, available drivers.Simultaneously, the platform utilizes location data and incident reports to provide drivers with crucial information – the nature of the emergency, the location, and any specific hazards.

* ER-Led Medical Guidance: Crucially, drivers aren’t operating independently.They are connected directly to ER physicians and paramedics via secure video conferencing and audio interaction. This allows for real-time medical guidance, ensuring appropriate initial care is provided. Think of it as “remote triage” extending into the community.

* Data-Driven Resource Allocation: the system collects and analyzes data on response times, driver locations, incident types, and medical interventions. This data is used to optimize resource allocation, predict future demand, and identify areas where EMS coverage is lacking. Emergency response optimization is a core benefit.

The Technology Backbone: Platforms & Protocols

Several key technologies underpin this innovative system:

* HIPAA-Compliant Communication Platforms: Secure video conferencing and messaging apps are essential for protecting patient privacy and ensuring secure communication between drivers and medical professionals.

* Geospatial Mapping & Routing: Advanced mapping software provides drivers with the fastest and safest routes to the emergency location, factoring in real-time traffic conditions.

* Automated Dispatch Systems: Integration with existing 911 dispatch systems is crucial for seamless operation and avoiding duplication of effort.

* Mobile Data Collection: Drivers use mobile apps to collect and transmit vital signs, incident details, and other relevant information to the ER. Mobile healthcare is a key component.

* API Integrations: Connecting with hospital systems for patient record access (with appropriate permissions) can further enhance the quality of care.

Benefits of the Healthcare Air Traffic Control System

The potential benefits of this collaborative approach are significant:

* Reduced Response Times: Drivers can often reach the scene of an emergency much faster than traditional ambulances, particularly in congested urban areas.

* Improved Patient Outcomes: Immediate access to basic medical care and remote medical guidance can stabilize patients and improve their chances of survival.

* Reduced Strain on EMS resources: By providing initial assistance, drivers can free up ambulances and paramedics to respond to more critical emergencies.

* Enhanced situational Awareness: Real-time data and video feeds provide ER physicians with a clearer picture of the situation, allowing them to prepare for the patient’s arrival.

* Cost-Effectiveness: Leveraging existing ride-share infrastructure can be a more cost-effective solution than expanding traditional EMS services. Healthcare cost reduction is a major driver.

Training & Vetting: Ensuring Safety & Competency

Rigorous training and vetting are paramount. Drivers participating in the program undergo:

1. Comprehensive Background Checks: Ensuring a safe and trustworthy network.
2. First Aid/CPR/AED Certification: Providing essential life-saving skills.
3. HIPAA Training: protecting patient privacy and confidentiality.
4. Emergency Communication Protocols: Establishing clear communication procedures.
5. Defensive Driving Courses: Prioritizing safety on the road.
6. Ongoing Skills Assessments: Maintaining competency and identifying areas for improvement.

Real-World Examples & Pilot programs

Several cities are already piloting programs based on this model. Such as:

* denver, Colorado: A pilot program launched in 2024 integrated ride-share drivers into the city’s EMS system, resulting in a 20% reduction in response times for certain types of emergencies.

* Austin, Texas: A similar program focused on providing assistance at large public events, where EMS resources are often stretched thin.

* Rural Communities: This model is particularly promising for rural areas with limited EMS coverage, where ride-share drivers can provide a vital lifeline.

Addressing Challenges & Future Directions

While promising, this system faces challenges