Digital health firm Thomson X of the SGX-listed Thomson Medical Group and telehealth provider WhiteCoat have partnered to launch a new mobile health app catering to women and children.

WHAT IT'S ABOUT

The mobile app, according to Thomson X, will be a "first of its kind" in Singapore which focuses on digital delivery of obstetrics and gynaecology and paediatric healthcare services from Thomson Medical. 

To be released in 2022, the obstetrics and paediatrics app will provide access to virtual, clinic, and home-based care covering family planning, fertility and conception through to early childhood development. The collaboration will combine WhiteCoat's virtual healthcare capabilities with Thomson Medical's network of hospitals and clinics.

Ahead of next year's launch, Thomson Medical already onboarded its paediatricians and paediatric services from all its satellite centres to WhiteCoat's present telemedicine platform.

WHY IT MATTERS

Healthcare cost is rising in Singapore, noted Thomson X's CEO-designate Kiat Lim. An ageing population, medical advancements and higher operating costs are top contributors to such an increase, the Ministry of Health said last year. To demonstrate the higher cost, government statistics showed that over the past two decades, the cost of medical and dental treatment shot up by around 78% or a 2.9% growth each year, according to insurer AIA, citing government data.

Lim said they believe their partnership with WhiteCoat "will create holistic and integrated solutions at a time of rapidly rising demand for healthcare services". 

Moreover, the upcoming app "aims to enhance online-to-offline patient experience and optimise health outcomes," while complementing face-to-face doctor visits during the ongoing pandemic.

THE LARGER TREND

Thomson X has been partnering with digital health firms to broaden access to its parent firm's doctors and services through telemedicine and other tech offerings. Earlier this year, it joined hands with eye health platform Plano to address the growing cases of myopia among children and adolescents. As part of the partnership, patients at Thomson Pediatric Clinic and Thomson Kids in Singapore, as well as Thomson Eye Centre in Malaysia, have been provided with access to Plano's platform. 

ON THE RECORD

"We have been exploring HealthTech opportunities and our collaboration with a telehealth pioneer like WhiteCoat will put us in good stead to stay ahead of the medical technology curve," Thomson X's Lim said.

"This partnership cements our dedication and next steps to building a broader set of offerings across the spectrum of women’s and children’s health, founded on exceptional quality and accessible personalised care," Bryan Koh, founder and CEO of WhiteCoat, also commented.