Transportation is an economic and social determinant of health that influences health outcomes. Populations prone to transportation disadvantage encounter higher incidences of chronic health conditions due to missed or delayed appointments, limited pharmacy access, and decreased prescription fills, leading to increased utilization of emergency departments and hospitalizations. When a patient cannot access reliable and safe transportation, there are fewer opportunities to engage in healthy behaviors, which improve health outcomes. Transportation impacts many aspects of an individual's life and it is essential to the health of communities. Additionally, transportation plays a critical role in helping patients attain the best health status possible. The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) seeks to hire ride-share professional services that can improve access to healthcare for all Mississippians. The MSDH is soliciting written qualifications from ride-share vendors for a professional service to provide transportation for MSDH patients/clients. Eligibility requirements for program participation are limited to persons seeking health services from a MSDH clinical location, filling prescriptions prescribed as part of MSDH clinical services from partnering pharmacies statewide, or to an approved MSDH partner location. The contractor shall be expected to have a platform that allows MSDH to implement a transportation program based on agency needs, policies, guidelines, and requirements. The contractor shall be expected to have a HIPAA/FERPA compliant solution for healthcare organizations to arrange rides on behalf of others. Additionally, the contractor shall be committed to the safety of riders and the privacy of their data. The contractor shall be expected to conduct screenings of all drivers prior to hiring, including, but not limited to, criminal history checks and driving history reviews.
