Call the Car
Dr Michelle A. Tyson MD is the visionary Founder and CEO of Call the Car, where her lifelong dedication to enhancing healthcare access and outcomes converges with innovation. With nearly three decades of experience as a physician, Dr. Tyson’s background is deeply rooted in serving Medi-Cal, Medicare, and commercial patients.
The legacy of Michelle's commitment to healthcare stretches back over sixty years, starting with her parents, Doctor and Mrs. Maureen B. Tyson, who founded a primary care and OB/GYN clinic in Pasadena, CA, to serve low-income patients. Their four children are now all raising their own families in Pasadena, three are doctors and the fourth is a veterinarian. It was this early exposure to community-focused healthcare that ignited Michelle's passion for making a difference, a mission she carries on today through Call the Car.
Michelle A. Tyson's experience at the intersection of healthcare delivery and health plan management uniquely positions her to advance Call the Car's mission of bridging gaps in healthcare access and enhancing the quality of life for underserved populations. Her work at Call the Car is a continuation of her family’s legacy and her professional journey, allowing her to impact more lives than ever by ensuring that quality care is not only available but also accessible to everyone.
Call the Car CEO
As a physician, Dr. Michelle A Tyson identified a significant gap within California’s healthcare delivery system, one that hindered the most vulnerable and underserved communities from accessing critical medical appointments, vital procedures, and treatments. Recognizing this, Michelle founded Call the Car (CTC) to bridge this gap.
In its fourteen years of operation, CTC has combined healthcare, medical, and transportation expertise to build a team that effectively meets the needs of health plans, medical groups, transportation providers, and, most importantly, patients, who remain at the heart of her mission.
During the pandemic, CTC developed a partnership with California’s CALVAX program to provide transportation for patients to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. CTC also supported Project Room Key, to help house the homeless during the height of the pandemic. In the present day, Call the Car now completes 6-7 million trips annually.
Michelle strongly believes that Call the Car is not just a healthcare transportation company but a care partner that should be accessible to all, even to those without a healthcare plan. Growing up in a family that was dedicated to improving patient care, and later becoming a doctor in Family Medicine herself, Michelle understands the diversity of California’s population, its unique needs and conditions, and how to address these specific requirements.
By integrating her medical expertise with the logistical knowledge of her CTC, Call the Car and Dr. Michelle have transformed non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT), establishing an entirely new delivery network. Today, Call the Car is the largest non-emergency medical transportation company in California.
Currently, it takes up to three months for patients to secure a medical appointment or treatment, making it crucial that Call the Car collaborates with responsible, accountable subcontractors and trained, professional drivers. With its fleet of vehicles, Call the Car is adapted to navigate challenging geographies and any difficult-to-access locations, ensuring that patient needs are met, and sharing real-time patient updates with health plans. Call the Car plays a vital role in coordinating care between patients, Case Managers, Doctors, Health Plans, and top hospitals across California.
As a minority women-owned business, Call the Car and Michelle have earned several accolades, including the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), and the Healthcare Innovative Award from the Association for Corporate Growth Los Angeles (ACGLA). The company has also received Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Accreditation for championing best standards, practices, and processes in the field.
Call the Car also partners with multiple healthcare plan providers to keep up with evolving healthcare needs. This includes LA Care, Central California Alliance, Blue Shield of California, Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP), California Department of Public Health, Promise Health Plan, AppleCare Medical Group, and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. Call the Car has also partnered with Lyft and Uber which has significantly improved operational efficiency and driver availability for its members.
Operating with hybrid vehicles, Call the Car is focused on reducing its impact on climate change by reducing its harmful greenhouse gas emissions by 50% and reducing its fossil fuel consumption. Call the Car can then pass on cost savings to its members.
Philanthropic Endeavors:
Dr. Michelle Tyson's dedication to patients' care extends beyond her work at Call the Car. She actively supports various philanthropic organizations across California and the Pasadena community, which aligns with her values of providing solutions and access to high-quality healthcare. Among these is the Pasadena Community Foundation, where she serves on the Advisory Council. Equally important, Michelle A. Tyson established the Tyson and Hagopian Family Endowment in 2013 to provide unrestricted funds for local charities, helping to sustain support for the Pasadena community.
Her leadership extends beyond clinical practice into influential roles as a Medical Director on the board for several health plans and as an Assistant Professor at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California.
Doctor Michelle also serves on the Provider Relations Advisory Committee for the LA Care Health Plan, which works to ensure access to quality healthcare for communities throughout Los Angeles County.
Involvement in Medical Associations:
As part of her commitment to patient care, and her previous specialty as a Family Doctor, Dr. Michelle Tyson is a member of several medical associations:
•American Academy of Family Practice
•American Medical Association
•California Medical Association
•Association of Black Women Physicians
•Los Angeles County Medical Association
•National Medical Association
Michelle Tyson is also known as Dr Michelle Tyson, Michelle A Tyson, and Michelle Tyson MD.
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Call the Car
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Call the Car is more than just a healthcare transportation brokerage; its mission is to be a care partner committed to making medical transportation accessible for everyone, regardless of whether a person is eligible for a health plan or not. Founded in 2010 by Dr. Michelle Tyson, the CEO, Call the Car emerged after she identified a significant gap in healthcare delivery across California. She recognized that vulnerable populations were struggling to attend crucial medical appointments and community services. Dr. Michelle responded by creating Call the Car to bridge this gap. Today, Call the Car proudly stands as California’s largest non-emergency medical transportation brokerage, completing over 6-7 million trips on average per year. With over two decades of experience as a Family Doctor, and coming from a family of healthcare providers, Dr. Michelle Tyson brings invaluable insight into the unique needs of the Californian communities she serves. This medical knowledge, combined with the logistical expertise of the team, demonstrates that Call the Car is at the cutting edge of medical transportation innovation, and is providing unparalleled quality control for its members. Headquartered in Diamond Bar, Call the Car provides more than just a door-to-door service. It blends the efficiency of a software company, the flexibility of a brokerage model, and the reliability of an owner-operated fleet, to better serve their members. Utilizing the logistical brilliance of its team, Call the Car has delivered a more streamlined experience for its members. Using automated technology, Call the Car can notify patients about their upcoming health plan expirations, and request or schedule rides through its CTC-Go app. Call the Car reviews these services regularly. A team of passionate individuals, Call the Car's dedicated Case Monitoring Team can assist members further by coordinating their care with a member's case managers, doctors, and nurses, updating medical personnel on their patient status in real time. Understanding the ever-evolving nature of healthcare, Call the Car uses value-driven solutions to ensure it delivers a quality and compassionate service. Call the Car is also in a unique position as unlike other NEMT brokerages, the company has a Facility Outreach team who engage with the local facilities and communities Call the Car coordinates care with. By doing this, Call the Car can gather feedback, share news, and address population health needs, ensuring continuous improvement of its services. CTC reviews these services regularly. In California, securing a medical appointment can take an average of three months. To bridge this gap, Call the Car operates its own fleet of medical vehicles as well as collaborating with responsible, local subcontractors. Call the Car also partners with major rideshare companies like Lyft and Uber to enhance operational efficiency. To deliver its vital services, Call the Car works with several health plan providers, including, LA Care, Central California Alliance, Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP), BlueShield of California, California Department for Public Health, Promise Health Plan, Apple Care Medical Group, and Aids Healthcare Foundation, to ensure its services evolve with the ever-changing healthcare landscape. However, Call the Car’s focus extends beyond transportation; it aims to empower members, care providers, and health plans. Looking ahead, the company strives to deepen its connections with the communities it serves, ensuring that even the most remote areas of California have access to essential healthcare services. Additionally, Call the Car is committed to a sustainable future. Over the past two years, the team has been actively working to reduce the carbon footprint it has generated by introducing more hybrid vehicles into its fleet. This green initiative will not only decrease fossil fuel use but also lead to cost savings for the patients it serves. The company also aims to grow its fleet to 100 reliable vehicles, equipped with medical teams and necessary equipment, to bring healthcare directly to patients’ doors and enable doctors to visit patients at home. CTC's commitment to compassionate, quality healthcare assistance remains steadfast as it navigates the future of healthcare transportation. As a dedicated NEMT brokerage, Call the Car specializes in NEMT services, but also offers non-medical transportation services, and wrap-around services. Call the Car also holds a Physician Certification Statement (PCS). Please get in contact with Call the Car via its website here: https://callthecar.com/.