Ro Works with New York State's Department of Health to Launch First-of-its-kind In-home COVID-19 Vaccination Program
Ro's COVID-19 Vaccine Drive is designed to serve at-risk communities facing logistical challenges accessing vaccination sites
Program for eligible New Yorkers is launching initially in Yonkers, New York
Private-Public Program made possible by support from Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano and Yonkers Office for the Aging as well as donations from Uber and other businesses
NEW YORK, NY — March 3, 2021 — Ro, the healthcare technology company, today announced it is working with New York State's Department of Health to administer COVID-19 vaccinations to eligible New Yorkers directly in their homes. The program aims to help vulnerable populations, including the elderly, disabled and homebound, that face logistical challenges accessing vaccination sites.
Ro's COVID-19 Vaccine Drive, a pro bono initiative, launches this week in select zip codes in Yonkers, New York, initially focusing on seniors 65 years old and older. The program is entirely free for all vaccine recipients. In-home vaccination appointments can be scheduled by eligible individuals, as well as their relatives and caregivers, when digital literacy or access is a challenge. At the scheduled time, a licensed and vaccinated healthcare professional will arrive at the vaccine recipient's home to administer the vaccine. Second doses for each recipient will be scheduled on site after the first shot and also administered in-home as part of the program.
Saman Rahmanian, Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer of Ro, said: "In New York alone, there are more than three million seniors who may find it difficult or unsafe to leave their home and travel to a vaccination site or retail pharmacy to be vaccinated. We are proud to work with New York State's Department of Health to offer Ro's in-home care, telehealth, and pharmacy capabilities to administer vaccines to New Yorkers from the safety and convenience of their homes."
As part of the program, vaccine recipients will have access to free, continued support through Ro's nurse hotline. Vaccine recipients, as well as their relatives and caregivers, can use the hotline for general counseling and questions regarding the vaccine, vaccination process, and any potential side effects.
New York State is supplying the Moderna vaccine to initiate the program. To ensure the Vaccine Drive reaches those with limited digital access or literacy challenges, Ro and the Department of Health are working with Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano and Yonkers Office for the Aging to engage relatives and caregivers who can sign up eligible vaccine recipients and help coordinate in-home vaccinations on their behalf.
In addition to providing this in-home service completely free to patients, Ro is arranging free transportation for the healthcare professionals administering the vaccine in individuals' homes. Uber is donating free rides to help cover a portion of the transportation costs. This program is also made possible by the generous financial support of several companies including Firstmark, General Catalyst, TQ Ventures, BoxGroup, 3L Capital, Initialized Capital and Ramp.
Ro's COVID-19 Vaccine Drive leverages the company's vertically integrated primary care platform that combines telehealth, online pharmacy, and in-home care capabilities. The company's pharmacy operations will manage vaccine inventory and distribution, while its in-home care API, Workpath, will coordinate and dispatch the healthcare professionals to vaccine recipients' homes and send real-time appointment alerts. Workpath, which Ro acquired in 2020, has facilitated over 100,000 in-home healthcare appointments to date across the country.
Following the initial launch, Ro will explore expanding its COVID-19 Vaccine Drive in New York to offer in-home vaccinations to additional communities.
About Ro
Ro is the healthcare technology company building a patient-centric healthcare system. Ro's vertically-integrated primary care platform powers a personalized, end-to-end healthcare experience from diagnosis, to delivery of medication, to ongoing care. With a nationwide provider network, in-home care API, and proprietary pharmacy distribution centers, Ro seamlessly connects telehealth, diagnostics, and pharmacy services to provide high-quality, affordable healthcare without the need for insurance. Since 2017, Ro has facilitated more than five million digital healthcare visits in nearly every county in the United States, including 98% of primary care deserts. Visit Ro.co for more information.