Singapore-based digital health startup WhiteCoat announced a partnership with Grab, a transportation network company which provides ride-hailing and food delivery services, to enhance its medication delivery services via GrabExpress, the on-demand, door-to-door courier and parcel delivery service. Through the collaboration, patients can conveniently and quickly receive their prescribed medication within 90 minutes after consulting a doctor via WhiteCoat’s mobile app, significantly reducing the current average waiting time of three hours.
WhiteCoat is one of eleven companies who are participating in the Ministry of Health’s Licensing Experimentation and Adaptation Programme (LEAP), a regulatory sandbox initiative to better understand new innovative services by partnering early with industry. The startup offers on-demand telemedicine services through its app from its network of registered General Practitioner (GP) doctors.
THE LARGER TREND
In April this year, WhiteCoat was appointed as the exclusive telehealth provider for AIA's corporate healthcare business, which expanded its potential client reach of 1.2 million corporate employees and dependents. Last month, Singapore-founded house call doctor app Speedoc and private ambulance operator Comfort Ambulance partnered to launch Singapore’s first private ambulance-booking app, according to a Healthcare IT News article.
ON THE RECORD
“We have always recognised that digital technologies can be harnessed to create patient-centric experiences that can meet the increasingly sophisticated needs of today’s mobile and digitally-savvy generation. Accessible and affordable on-demand healthcare will empower our patients to lead healthier lives,” said Bryan Koh, CEO and Founder of WhiteCoat in a statement.
“Our collaboration with Grab will boost our capabilities by providing expedited and medication delivery to patients, so that they are able to obtain timely medical attention.”
Ronald Wong, Head of GrabExpress Singapore, said, “With GrabExpress, the collaboration will enhance the welfare of the patients as they are now able to receive their medication within 90 minutes. Grab’s on-demand small parcel delivery is reliable and affordable, where users can view real time tracking of their medication delivery on the Grab app, giving them a peace of mind. We continue to use our technology to serve the local community by bringing them closer to what matters to them, and helping them reach a better quality of life.”
