‘She Was Scared She Was Going To Die': SoonerRide Customers Reach Out For Help

Patients and healthcare workers spoke to News 9, claiming that SoonerRide, a medical transportation program, is failing them.

"I've had a patient tell me she was scared she was going to die because of SoonerRide not picking her up so many times," Aimee Servais, a healthcare worker, said.

They claim they are not being transported to the treatment they need and are having issues along the way.

SoonerRide is a program that contracts with medical transportation companies. It is designed to help patients get to their medical appointments.

The patients News 9 spoke to said they use it for dialysis.

They said SoonerRide is paid through insurance whether they get picked up or not.

One woman said she believes it cost her mom her life.

"There's been several occasions where my mom has been left at home and she needs her dialysis treatments, and she has been left at home," Thelma Lara, the daughter of a patient, said.

Thelma reached out to News 9 because she said drivers contracted by SoonerRide haven't been picking up her mom like they are supposed to.

"They would send an Uber over to pick her up in her walker and sometimes she wouldn't get any help, or they would cancel the ride if she didn't come out fast enough,” Lara said.

On their website, SoonerRide guarantees safety by saying "The contractor we use to transport you has protocols in place for your safety."

But Lara said when they do pick her up, she said that.the rides can be dangerous.

"The last time she used an Uber, he hit the ramp outside her dialysis unit, and she hurt herself... and the nurses saw it, and we did call SoonerRide because they are not sending adequate people to pick up patients."

She is not the only one with this experience. Rachel Hogg said for her mother, Vanessa Hogg, it was the same story.

"They would come to pick her up, but she couldn't get to the door in time because she was a double amputee," Hogg said "They would come to pick her up, but she couldn't get to the door in time because she was a double amputee."

Rachel said they complained to SoonerRide.

"Basically, two weeks after that they told her they would no longer pick her up and she would have to find another medical transportation service," Rachel said. Vanessa died in February,

"She couldn't get anybody to come pick her up, and her lungs filled up with fluid,” Rachel said.

Rachel believes her mom's death was preventable.

"I truly believe if she would have made it to that treatment, that would have been prevented."

Servais also said she sees the issues.

"We are running into a lot of problems with them not picking them up lying about having been to the patient's residence," Servais said. Trying to call, but not getting help.

"I've called and I have called and asked to speak to a supervisor many times regarding the issues and they say that they will call me back and they just never do," Servais said. Everyone is hoping for answers.

"They need to take a moment to realize people like her can't get out there fast enough and have some humility for them because they are trying their best. And it is wrong," Lara said.

News 9 reached out to SoonerRide, and they responded with the following statement:

"We apologize for the inconveniences our members have experienced using SoonerRide services. We are working internally with our SoonerRide contractors to improve the process for our members. If members have concerns or questions about this service, we encourage them to reach out to us at 800-435-1034."

For more information about SoonerRide, click here.