Partnership Creates a More Patient-centric Travel Experience, Drives Adherence and Advances Diversity and Inclusion in Clinical Research

MORRISVILLE, N.C. and NEW YORK, Sept. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Syneos Health^® (Nasdaq:SYNH), the only fully integrated biopharmaceutical solutions organization, today announced a strategic partnership with Ride Health to offer non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) to clinical trial participants. The collaboration, built on product integration between Ride Health and the Syneos Health patient engagement platform, will enable a comprehensive transportation program for Syneos Health trials in the U.S., with a goal of expanding access, reducing burden and improving retention for patients while accelerating clinical trial recruitment for sponsors. Additionally, Syneos Health made a minority investment in Ride Health as part of the strategic relationship.

The partnership reinforces the Syneos Health commitment to deliver patient-centric, technology-enabled solutions that improve the overall experience of clinical trials for sponsors, sites and patients. In 2020, Syneos Health acquired U.K.-based Illingworth Research Group (Illingworth), which included PatientGo^TM, an in-house patient concierge service that aims to streamline clinical trial participation for patients through services ranging from ground and air transportation to overnight accommodation and expense reimbursements. Ride Health’s technology-enabled approach and deep integration capabilities help PatientGo to streamline and add new efficiencies to its U.S.-based transportation operations and accelerate network development to create a leading comprehensive clinical trial platform.

“Our relationship with Ride Health expands our technology- and data-driven solutions platform, with a goal of improving clinical trial patient engagement, recruitment and retention,” said Maria Fotiu, Executive Vice President for Decentralized Solutions, Syneos Health. “When combined with Illingworth’s PatientGo services, this partnership helps us bring the clinical trial closer to the patient, increasing diversity and accessibility, and further expanding our Dynamic Assembly® network of preferred, best-of-breed data and technology collaborators to drive the design and execution of clinical trials.”

Syneos Health and its trial sponsors have long recognized the benefit of transportation assistance to expand patient access, recruitment and retention. However, previous approaches created significant administrative burden for clinical trial coordinators and were often limited to a narrow selection of transportation providers relative to the scope of geographic and service level needs of enrolled patients.

Ride Health’s national transportation network integrates ride-hailing services, taxi aggregators, and higher-touch NEMT operators to provide demand-responsive, cost-effective, and accessible transportation across a trial’s multi-state site footprint. To ensure consistent access to visits and prioritize patient centricity, the platform automatically matches each patient’s needs to the appropriate transportation mode across standard curbside pickup, door-to-door assistance, and wheelchair accessible vehicles. Ride Health’s solution then directly connects each stakeholder through its automated communication and support systems, allowing Syneos Health to reduce the coordination burden for site staff, enhance patient experience, and improve retention across clinical trials.

“We are honored to partner with an industry leader like Syneos Health to enhance access to care, improve patient centricity and ensure clinical trial participation reflects the population that these novel therapeutics aim to serve,” said Imran Cronk, CEO and Founder of Ride Health.

Ride Health’s HIPAA-compliant transportation solution is tailored for clinical trial management, streamlining coordination across trial sponsors, contract research organizations (CROs), independent research sites, and trial participants. The company’s transportation coordination platform ensures appropriate PHI (Protected Health Information) access across organizations, allowing each site to offer transportation while providing systems for CROs and trial sponsors to manage eligibility, utilization, and funding across all active trials. The web-based platform can be accessed directly on desktop or mobile devices, while a suite of open APIs (application programming interface) enable direct integration with existing clinical trial management systems and patient-facing applications.

About Ride Health
Ride Health partners with healthcare organizations and transportation providers to manage transportation benefits, strengthen enterprise transportation programs, and improve access to care and social services for at-risk populations. We blend technology and data with a human approach to break down access barriers and solve some of the biggest transportation challenges that payers, providers, and life science organizations face. Our platform maps out each patient’s unique needs and preferences for the best ride experience across clinical and social needs, ensuring greater access, improved efficiencies, lower costs, and better outcomes. Learn more at www.ridehealth.com.

About Syneos Health
Syneos Health^® (Nasdaq:SYNH) is the only fully integrated biopharmaceutical solutions organization. The Company, including a Contract Research Organization (CRO) and Contract Commercial Organization (CCO), is purpose-built to accelerate customer performance to address modern market realities. We bring together approximately 27,000 clinical and commercial minds with the ability to support customers in more than 110 countries. Together we share insights, use the latest technologies and apply advanced business practices to speed our customers’ delivery of important therapies to patients.

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