Kinetik is a company that is reimagining the way Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) works. The company has partnered with health plans, brokers, and transportation providers nationwide to develop the largest digitally integrated healthcare transportation network in the country. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Kinetik CEO Sufian Chowdhury to learn more about the company.
Sufian Chowdhury’s Background
What is Sufian Chowdhury’s background? Chowdhury said:
“My journey has always been driven by a deep desire to make a positive impact and help those in need. Growing up with limited means, my family relied on Medicaid, so I know the struggle firsthand. Most times you don’t even know what help is available. If we needed a ride to the hospital, we’d call 911, not realizing we’d get a bill for hundreds later. Services like NEMT exist to fill that gap, but many people simply don’t know about them. This taught me empathy and fueled my passion for serving those who rely on these essential services.
Now, I’m a serial entrepreneur whose passion lies in improving the world through innovative technology. After earning a finance degree from Berkeley College, I worked in healthcare mergers and acquisitions at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell. I then transitioned to tech, managing high-profile digital ad placements at Collective Media and co-founding LetsApply, simplifying college applications. Before Kinetik, I co-founded Inlingoo, a language-learning platform.”
Formation Of Kinetik
How did the idea for the company come together? Chowdhury shared:
“My friend, who worked for a Brooklyn-based non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) taxi company, asked for my help updating a massive Excel database. It was the largest spreadsheet I had ever seen, and I immediately recognized a billing problem. I offered to fix his database if he agreed to use the app I was building. While he didn’t need the app himself, he introduced me to his network of transportation providers who did.
I learned patients had to book rides 48-72 hours in advance. Imagine waiting 72 hours for an Uber — it’s unacceptable. These rides are critical for dialysis, chemo, behavioral health, and rehab. Delays can be life-threatening. To understand the system, I spent time with taxi companies and even drove for them. We built the first Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) platform for NEMT, cutting billing time from 40+ hours to two. When COVID hit, we pivoted to digitize the NEMT marketplace, enabling real-time ride requests covered by insurance.”
Core Products
What are the company’s core products and features? What differentiates the company from its competition? Chowdhury explained:
“Our software suite is designed as a synchronized ecosystem that provides interoperability between technologies used by all stakeholders including health plans, members and transportation providers.”
There are different components to our platform that make us unique. Our key products include:
— Trip Scheduler, used by health plans, insurance companies, and brokers, is customizable for each customer type based on needs and region. It also focuses on automation to reduce human error and patient no-shows. One of the most important things to note is that Trip Scheduler provides visibility and transparency into real-time ride updates and GPS data (similar to Uber and Lyft), which solves a major pain point for health plans today.
— Trip Assistant, used by transportation providers to accept rides from multiple sources, such as insurance companies and hospitals. An ongoing issue for transportation providers is porting from one platform to another, but Trip Assistant acts as a centralized layer and can provide real-time communication and updates about trips, which is helpful in reducing fraud.
— RCM, used by transportation providers to speed up asking for claims. Health claims typically take 2-4 weeks and many small businesses cannot survive if they are not paid on time. RCM helps with re-submissions, catching errors ahead of time, and reducing overall rejection rates on claims, which helps to ensure timely payments. It eliminates the need for a billing team that does manual claims.”
Challenges Faced
What challenges have Chowdhury and the team faced in building the company? Chowdhury acknowledged:
“We launched our company in 2018 as an RCM platform. When COVID-19 hit, we faced a significant challenge: ride requests plummeted by 70%. During pitches, potential clients would laugh and say, “We don’t even have rides to manage.” The entire industry struggled, with brokers and transport companies particularly hard-hit. Recognizing the need to adapt, we decided to pivot and double down on developing our Trip Assistant and Trip Scheduler. While we knew it would take us longer to reach profitability, we had to bet on ourselves that it would pay off in the long run. And it has.
Another challenge we face is navigating the complexities of the current healthcare system and its political landscape. Many health plans are locked into contracts lasting 1-5 years, resulting in an extended sales cycle. Additionally, since our approach is unprecedented, we need to find partners willing to take a leap of faith and pilot our technology to demonstrate its effectiveness. Fortunately, we have secured two significant contracts, positioning us well to drive real change in the industry in 2025 and beyond.”
Evolution Of Kinetik’s Technology
How has the company’s technology evolved since launching? Chowdhury noted:
“Our flagship product, RCM, has become more sophisticated and efficient. Additionally, we’ve expanded our product line to include the Trip Assistant and Trip Scheduler. We are also excited to introduce Kinetik Financial Services (KFS), which enables drivers to get paid in as little as 24 hours. As we continue to learn and grow, we are constantly enhancing all of our offerings by incorporating more advanced technology and AI.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones? Chowdhury cited:
“Kinetik processes over 7 million healthcare rides and $300M in claims annually. We have 3,000+ payer partners, including Medicaid and Medicare. We’ve raised $30M+ from angel investors, doubled our team to nearly 100 employees, and achieved 300% YoY revenue growth over the past three years.”
Future Company Goals
What are some of the company’s future goals? Chowdhury concluded:
“Our future goals revolve around realizing our vision of a world where you can request a healthcare ride in real-time and have it covered by insurance. To make this a reality, we are partnering closely with health plans, MCOs, and government Medicaid agencies to enhance the member experience and ensure everyone has access to these essential rides.”
