Birmingham residents like Ron Collins stay healthy and independent through a high-tech solution to a health care challenge through Live HealthSmart Alabama.At 71, Ron Collins is navigating life with chronic illness and limited mobility. Thanks to support from Live HealthSmart Alabama, a University of Alabama at Birmingham initiative to improve health outcomes across the state, and its Uber Health partnership, he is regaining control of his health — and his life.

Originally from Hartselle, Alabama, Collins moved to Birmingham in 2012 and worked for several years as a patient care technician in the cancer unit at UAB Hospital. His health challenges began in 2004, when he was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, a chronic form of arthritis that causes inflammation in the spine and joints. Left untreated, it can lead to immobility.

Over time, the condition led to two neck fractures, limited neck mobility, increased pain and stiffness, and eventually forced Collins to stop driving in 2020.

These days, he keeps his mind active by writing novels, staying involved in his church, and cheering on his football and basketball teams. Still, the emotional toll of his health changes has not been easy to manage.

“Losing the ability to drive and being limited on what I can do has caused me to go through some dark times, so I try to stay very upbeat and positive,” Collins said. “I try to enjoy living and taking advantage of the time that I have.”

Transportation challenges like Collins’ are more than just logistical — they are barriers to good health. According to Wallace et al., in the article Access to Health Care and Nonemergency Medical Transportation: Two Missing Links, approximately 3.6 million Americans do not receive medical care each year due to a lack of transportation, often leading to worsening chronic conditions. Without consistent access, the road to better health becomes even harder to navigate.

In addition to mobility challenges, Collins also manages Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

In the fall of 2024, after fainting unexpectedly, he was taken to the emergency room, where a CT scan revealed a small brain bleed, critically high blood pressure and a dangerously high A1C level of 9.6.

After being released from the hospital, Collins was referred to Live HealthSmart Alabama for continued support. That is when he connected with Keisha Taylor, a community health coach with the organization, who regularly checks in to help him manage his conditions, set goals and stay on track with nutrition.

“The best thing about Live HealthSmart Alabama is having somebody checking in on you to keep you accountable,” Collins said. “Keisha helps me stick to my goals of lowering my A1C and blood pressure by making sure I eat at least three meals a day, with plenty of vegetables and fruits.”

Collins also attends Live HealthSmart Alabama’s Mobile Wellness events, where he receives no-cost screenings to monitor his health. Getting to these events is easier than ever with the program’s partnership with Uber Health.

Built on Uber’s expertise, scale and reliability, Uber Health addresses factors that impact health — such as transportation and access to good nutrition — through a platform that includes nonemergency medical transportation, as well as prescription, grocery and over-the-counter item delivery.

Through Uber Health, Live HealthSmart Alabama offers participants free Uber rides for any health-related need, including medical appointments, picking up prescriptions, grocery store trips, or attending the organization’s Mobile Wellness and Mobile Market events.

“At Uber Health, our mission is to make ancillary benefits easy to understand and easier to use — ultimately helping empower people to better manage their care,” said Zachary Clark, global general manager of Uber Health. “Ron Collins is a powerful example of the kind of day-to-day impact we hope to make, and we’re proud to work with community organizations like Live

HealthSmart Alabama to help make health care benefits more accessible and convenient for everyone.”

Community members interested in accessing Uber Health rides can attend a Mobile Market or Mobile Wellness event, where staff can help determine eligibility and assist with enrollment on-site. They can also connect with Live HealthSmart Alabama at a neighborhood meeting, health fair or other community event, where team members are available to answer questions and connect residents to services.

“I average about two doctor’s appointments a month, and since I don’t drive, I had been asking friends for rides,” Collins said. “While good friends will go out of their way to help, you don’t want to always depend on them. You want to do things for yourself. Having the Uber rides has been a tremendous help and has given me a sense of freedom.”

For Collins, the program is about more than getting from place to place. It has made one of the biggest challenges in his health care journey feel manageable — and has given him something even more valuable than transportation: his independence.

“I actually Ubered to one of the Mobile Wellness events a couple of months ago,” Collins said. “They told me my A1C had gone down from 9.6 to 6.4!”

For Collins, that number means more than progress — it means possibility.