CHICAGO — Access to health care on the road is always a concern for truck drivers and the current COVID-19 crisis has only emphasized the shortage of available options.
To help drivers stay safe and healthy, TruckPark Inc. and GenieMD have announced a new partnership that promises to provide more telehealth solutions to the transportation industry. Through this strategic partnership, TruckPark and GenieMD provide an opportunity for truck drivers and carriers to receive accessibility to on-demand doctors.
Through the partnership, users of the TruckPark app (available from the Apple App Store and Google Play) will have access to health care providers and can have prescriptions sent to a nearby pharmacy, and can also access their personal health records and communicate with doctors via text and video.
Truckers experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 — including fever, cough and shortness of breath, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — can easily access GenieMD’s telehealth services from the TruckPark App’s Services page. There will be a $49 fee, payable by credit or debit card, for using GenieMD’s telehealth service.
“We are excited to partner with TruckPark to offer our service to hardworking drivers, who play a critical role in our transportation industry,” said Dr. Soheil Saadat, founder and CEO of GenieMD.
“Most of these drivers spend many days at a time on the road and away from home, and often, when they need medical help, they are in unknown territories during off hours,” Saadat said. “By using our telemedicine platform, these hardworking individuals can have easy access to medical professionals who can provide expert care and, if necessary, prescribe medication to the nearest pharmacy.”
GenieMD has more than 350 providers and offers services in all 50 states. The provider accepts major credit cars and HAS/FSA cars; it does not accept medical insurance. According to the GenieMD website, patients using the GenieMD app can receive telehealth services free of charge to help combat the spread of the new coronavirus when they enter a special promo code at checkout.
TruckPark’s partnership with GenieMD is the parking providers’ latest effort to help ensure drivers have access to health care and safe parking. At the end of March, TruckPark Inc. co-founders Anthony Petitte and Joshua Walls announced a partnership with UrgentCare Travel through the TruckPark Inc. website and provided a convenient link to a list of other health care providers through the DOT Mentor directory.
“Providing telehealth services to truckers is the future for the transportation industry,” Petitte said.
“Drivers are not getting adequate rest, exercise and nutrition,” added Walls. “Drivers with back pain or chronic conditions (that) we have talked to said they would like to have access to on-demand doctors, and we’re going to give it to them.”
In addition, TruckPark is offering 25% off parking at its secure lots when drivers book through the TruckPark app and use the code “PARK25” at checkout.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
