Shuttle service a hit for New York family doctor

Courtesy shuttles are usually reserved for resorts and airports -- or sometimes even hospitals and ophthalmologists -- but a Buffalo, N.Y., family physician puts his own vehicle to work as an extra service for his patients.

It's an outreach tool that has definite business advantages for Raul Vazquez, MD, who runs Urban Family Practice P.C. Not only does he receive the marketing benefit of having his well-marked minivan driving around the neighborhood, but he also ensures that his missed appointments are kept to a minimum.

"My no-show rate is 5% to 10%," Dr. Vazquez said. "Most practices are 20% or more."

What started as a simple service for patients has turned into an integrated feature of the practice. Any patient within a five-mile radius of the practice is eligible for the service, which gives one fewer reason to miss an appointment. It's particularly useful during the blustery winter months in Buffalo, when driving can be treacherous.

Even staying within five miles of the office, the vehicle logs nearly 20,000 miles a year. It's busy enough to necessitate hiring a full-time driver, who, incidentally, is Dr. Vazquez's uncle, a former New York City taxi driver.

There are costs associated with the minivan, of course, including gas, maintenance and an additional insurance policy, including increased coverage for transporting patients. The vehicle is not equipped for disabled patients because of the liability issues involved, but the practice tries to accommodate people who need assistance as best it can.

Dr. Vazquez described a recent occasion when a woman who uses a walker at home was injured and came in for treatment. To take her home, they used a wheelchair to transport her to the shuttle, and then brought the wheelchair with them to help move her from the vehicle to her house.

It's not uncommon for the driver to pick up several patients at once, which can create some strain for the staff once they arrive at the office. But it beats those patients missing their appointments, Dr. Vazquez said.

"We try to bulk [the pickups]," Dr. Vazquez said. "In the morning, we'll know how many people will need rides. When you look at the bottom line, it costs more to have somebody not show up than it does to run the service."

The shuttle service is one of several ways the practice tries to run efficiently and keep patients satisfied.

It also has a detailed Web site that allows patients to download forms that they can fill out and bring in with them to their appointment, and the office has an extensive library of health videos, which patients are able to view on computers in every exam room.

The shuttle service is one of the more tangible benefits, however, and it helps spread the word about the practice. The body of the vehicle, which was leased new a few years ago, features the practice's name, phone number and Web site address. From time to time, new patients call for an appointment and say they got the number from the vehicle, Dr. Vazquez said.

Even some patients who are outside the five-mile radius have been exposed to the shuttle inadvertently. Apparently, the vehicle has been in the background during local television news shots, giving the practice some unwitting publicity.

"That's not by choice," Dr. Vazquez said. "The van just happened to be picking up people while news was going on."